LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Departmental Pensions

David Simpson: To ask the Leader of the House how many and what percentage of staff in her office were making additional voluntary contributions to their pensions in each of the last two years.

Helen Goodman: Owing to a machinery of Government change in May 2007, the Office of the Leader of the House of Commons now forms part of the Cabinet Office. The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster will be answering this question shortly on behalf of the Cabinet Office.
	Pension scheme members receive an annual benefit statement showing the pension built up to date, and also a projection of pension on retirement if the member continues in service to scheme pension age. The benefit statement provides details of the civil service pensions website where staff can obtain further information, including on options for making additional voluntary contributions to boost their pension.

WOMEN AND EQUALITY

Age Discrimination

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what discussions she has had with other Government Departments on discrimination in the supply of goods and services to people on the basis of age.

Barbara Follett: Since the Discrimination Law Review was launched in February 2005 we have consulted widely across Whitehall on this matter. In particular we have had detailed discussions with the domestic affairs (communities and equality) committee departments.

Departmental Older Workers

David Simpson: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality how many people over the age of 55 have been recruited to the Government Equalities Office in each of the last three years.

Barbara Follett: The Prime Minister announced the establishment of the GEO on 26 July 2007, and since then we have not recruited anyone over the age of 55.

Equality and Human Rights Commission

John McDonnell: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what arrangements  (a) have been and  (b) are to be put in place by the Equality and Human Rights Commission to develop and consolidate relationships with (i) the Mayor's office and (ii) the Greater London Assembly.

Barbara Follett: holding answer 10 March 2008
	In November 2007. the Equality and Human Rights Commission's chief executive met the Mayor's director of equalities and Policing and other key GLA staff to discuss how the new Commission could work with the Greater London Authority (GLA) on promoting equality and tackling discrimination across London. Since then, Commission staff have met GLA officers regularly to progress these issues.
	The Commission is currently drawing up its business plan for 2008-09 and its stakeholder strategy to promote that work. This will include further arrangements to strengthen links between the Commission and the GLA. The Commission will also be engaging with the London Assembly to ensure that its members are informed and, where appropriate, involved in its work on behalf of Londoners.

Equality and Human Rights Commission

John McDonnell: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality how many staff are employed in London by the Equality and Human Rights Commission, broken down by  (a) grade and  (b) specialism; and what consultative stakeholder committees the Commission (i) has established and (ii) plans to establish.

Barbara Follett: holding answer 10 March 2008
	On  (a) and  (b), the Commission has 79 permanent staff in London and is currently undergoing a job matching process which means staff who have come from the previous commissions (Commission for Racial Equality, Equal Opportunities Commission and Disability Rights Commission) are still on the same grading as they were before joining. Staff will be offered the opportunity to join the Commission's new grading structure when the job matching process is completed. That exercise is still in progress.
	On (i) and (ii), the Commission has statutory committees advising on issues relating to Scotland and Wales and also on matters related to disabled people. The Commission is currently developing a stakeholder strategy, including consideration of what further consultative stakeholder mechanisms it may require. As part of the development of this strategy, the Commission has held an initial scoping event with stakeholders on religion and belief issues and has further events on age and sexual orientation planned.

Television Screens

Francis Maude: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality how many plasma television screens have been purchased by the Government Equalities Office, and at what cost, since its creation.

Barbara Follett: Since its establishment, the Government Equalities Office has purchased two plasma television screens for ministerial use. The total cost of the purchase and installation of the televisions was £2,578.84.

SCOTLAND

Departmental Correspondence

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many letters his Department received in each of the last five years.

David Cairns: The total number of mail items that the Scotland Office receives is not recorded. The number of items received for ministerial and official reply in the last four years is recorded, as follows:
	
		
			   Number of items for ministerial or official reply 
			 2004-05 1,338 
			 2005-06 1,249 
			 2006-07 1,273 
			 2007-08 1,489 
		
	
	In addition, over 3,000 other pieces of correspondence have been received in the ministerial private office in each of the last two years.

Departmental Plants

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department spent on pot plants in each of the last five years.

David Cairns: The Scotland Office spent the following on pot plants:
	
		
			   Cost (£) 
			 2002-03 2,011 
			 2003-04 2,013 
			 2004-05 1,264 
			 2005-06 30 
			 2006-07 0 
		
	
	All expenditure was incurred in accordance with the principles of managing public money and the Treasury handbook on regularity and propriety.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether consideration has been given to applying gender- responsive budgeting to his Department's budget.

David Cairns: The UK Government are supportive of efforts to achieve gender equality and continue to work very closely with both the Women's National Commission and the Women's Budget Group on promoting gender equality within the UK.
	In 2004, HM Treasury undertook a pilot project on gender analysis of expenditure with the Women's Budget Group. The project demonstrated the value of gender analysis in some areas and identified what tools and expertise were necessary within Government to carry out gender analysis, but concluded that further work was needed before gender-responsive budgeting could be implemented.
	In 2008, HM Treasury will be conducting further work that will determine whether it is prudent and feasible to disaggregate departmental expenditure statistics by gender.

Departmental Travel

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department and its agencies spent on first-class travel in the last 12 months for which figures are available, broken down by staff grade.

David Cairns: The Scotland Office does not separately record expenditure on first-class travel. All travel is undertaken by the most efficient and costs effective way, in accordance with the Civil Service Management Code and the Ministerial Code, copies of which are available in the Library of the House. Information relating to overseas travel by Ministers is published on an annual basis; the 2006-07 edition was published on 25 July 2007, and is also available in the Library of the House.

Eurostar

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department spent on  (a) first and  (b) other class travel by Eurostar in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

David Cairns: The Scotland Office does not separately record expenditure on Eurostar journeys. All travel is undertaken by the most efficient and cost-effective way, in accordance with the Civil Service Management Code and the Ministerial Code, copies of which are available in the Library of the House. Information relating to overseas travel by Ministers is published on an annual basis; the 2006-07 edition was published on 25 July 2007, and is also available in the Library of the House.

TRANSPORT

Bus Services: Pensioners

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many pensioners have claimed free bus travel in  (a) the Jarrow constituency,  (b) South Tyneside,  (c) the north-east and  (d) the UK in each year since its inception.

Rosie Winterton: The Department does not hold information about the number of pensioners who have claimed free travel at the level requested. Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive (PTE) administers the concessionary travel scheme that covers  (a) Jarrow, and  (b) South Tyneside. Tyne and Wear PTE reported to the Department that it had 219,703 concessionary travel passes in circulation. For the  (c) north-east region, it reported 466,445 passes in circulation.
	As  (d), it is not known how many people in the UK have claimed free bus travel. Concessionary travel is a devolved issue, so Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own arrangements.
	In England, around 11 million older and eligible disabled people may benefit from the improved geographic coverage of the statutory minimum bus travel concession from 1 April this year. To date, around 7.5 million people have taken up passes. In the constituency of Jarrow, over 16,000 people are eligible for concessionary travel.

Dartford Tunnel: Queen Elizabeth II Brige

Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what estimate she has made of the number of residents of the  (a) Bexley Havering,  (c) Gravesham and  (d) Sevenoaks local authority areas who made fewer than 10 single journeys per annum over the Dartford River Crossing in each of the last three years;
	(2)  what estimate she has made of the number of residents of the  (a) Bexley,  (b) Havering,  (c) Gravesham and  (d) Sevenoaks local authority areas who made more than 50 single journeys per annum over the Dartford River Crossing in each of the last three years;
	(3)  how many people in the  (a) Bexley,  (b) Havering,  (c) Gravesham and  (d) Sevenoaks local authority areas live within (i) six miles and (ii) 10 miles of the Dartford River Crossing.

Rosie Winterton: The Department has not made estimates of the figures requested.

Drinking Water

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much her Department spent on bottled water in the latest year for which figures are available.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department spent £102,834 on bottled water during the latest year for which figures are available. This includes spend on associated items such as cooler units and water provided for members of the public by the Highways Agency Traffic Officer service during major incidents and driving test candidates at Driving Standards Agency driving test centres.
	At our main London HQ buildings we will be ending the provision of bottled water for meetings as a priority and providing tap water instead. This will take a short time to arrange, as we use up existing stocks and purchase carafes.
	The data exclude spend by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, Vehicle and Operator Services Agency and regional offices of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency where spend is not centrally recorded and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Heathrow Airport: Noise

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration was given to the noise costs indicated by the attitudes to noise from aviation sources in England study in drawing up the financial estimates in the adding capacity at Heathrow consultation.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Government said at the time of publication of the study "Attitudes to Noise from Aviation Sources in England" that study they would take the findings into account in developing air transport policy. However, as the independent peer reviewers made clear, the study could not provide a reliable way of attaching a monetary figure to the impact of aircraft noise.
	Consequently, and pending the availability of a better alternative, we applied existing valuations for road and rail noise in the cost benefit analysis for the adding capacity at Heathrow consultation.

Maritime and Coastguard Agency: Manpower

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people were employed by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency at the most recent date for which figures are available.

Jim Fitzpatrick: There are 1,245 people employed by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, as on 11 March 2008.

Metronet: Finance

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what Metronet's weekly cost to the public purse has been since it went into administration; and from what budget the costs are met.

Rosie Winterton: On 6 February 2008,  Official Report, columns 74-76WS, the Secretary of State made a written statement on the spending review settlement reached with Transport for London. This statement includes cover for costs arising from Metronet's administration.
	It is now for Transport for London to manage its costs and priorities within its overall financial envelope.

Night Flying: East Midlands

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many night flights there were from  (a) East Midlands Airport and  (b) designated London airports in each of the last 10 years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 10 March 2008
	Night flights at the three London designated airports (Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted) are subject to restriction. With some exemptions, a movements and noise quota limit applies during the night quota period (11.30 pm to 6.00 am). The following table sets out the number of movements of aircraft subject to these controls. While there are restrictions on the type of aircraft that can be operated during the shoulder periods (11.00 pm to 11.30 pm and 6 am to 7 am), there are no limits on movements or quota during these periods.
	
		
			  T otal number of movements in night quota period (11.30 pm to 6 am) 
			   Heathrow  Gatwick  Stansted 
			 Summer 1997 3007 8,095 2,821 
			 1997-98(1) 5,506 11,472 7,899 
			 1998-99 6,194 12,467 5,451 
			 1999-00 5,752 12,822 6,291 
			 2000-01 5,886 14,324 7,260 
			 2001-02 5,952 12,226 7,786 
			 2002-03 5,977 11,954 7,695 
			 2003-04 5,831 12,979 7,934 
			 2004-05 5,843 13,939 8,958 
			 2005-06 5,973 14,193 9,755 
			 2006-07 6,238 12,909 11,067 
			 (1) i.e. Winter/summer.  Note: The totals relate to movements covered by the Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted noise restrictions. They include some movements which were disregarded from movements limits because of delays to aircraft which were likely to lead to serious congestion at the aerodrome or serious hardship or suffering to passengers or animals; or because of delays to aircraft resulting from widespread and prolonged disruption of air traffic. 
		
	
	No similar regime involving a night quota period is in place at East Midlands. Flights are recorded on a calendar year basis and on a night period basis (11.00 pm to 7 pm). Accordingly, these data are not compatible with that provided.
	
		
			  Total number of movements in night period (11.00 pm to 7 am) 
			   East Midlands 
			 1997 16,071 
			 1998 14,651 
			 1999 14,731 
			 2000 16,565 
			 2001 15,418 
			 2002 17,158 
			 2003 17,468 
			 2004 17,079 
			 2005 16,544 
			 2006 17,998 
			 2007 19,888

Railways: Brighton

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average loading is of the diesel train service between Brighton and Ashford  (a) in peak hours and  (b) across the working day.

Tom Harris: This information is not held by the Department.

Road Traffic: Peterborough

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will  (a) review and  (b) estimate the likely traffic capacity of the (i) A47, (ii) A1139, (iii) A605 and (iv) A15 roads within the Peterborough city council area in the period up to 2020 consequent upon planned large-scale residential development; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: Reviewing and estimating traffic capacity at this local level is a matter for Peterborough city council in its development of local transport plans.

Southern: Rolling Stock

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 10 March 2008,  Official Report, columns 9-10W, on rolling stock: Brighton, what assessment  (a) she and  (b) Southern have made of the capacity of diesel rolling stock available to that company to accommodate passenger demand on the (i) Brighton-Ashford and (ii) other railway lines; and if she will make a statement.

Tom Harris: Train operating companies make decisions about the deployment of rolling stock to match customer demand.
	The Department for Transport will continue to review train counts and train plans to check that resources are being deployed effectively.
	The rail White Paper was published in July 2007. It sets out the resources that we intend to make available to the rail industry and the increases in capacity, as well as safety and performance that we expect the industry to deliver in return.

Transport: Bournemouth

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 6 March 2008,  Official Report, columns 2757-58W, on housing: infrastructure, what work programmes have been evaluated for the infrastructure improvements needed to meet new housing developments recommended for the Bournemouth area.

Rosie Winterton: The recommendations on housing developments for Bournemouth are those of an independent panel that examined the draft regional spatial strategy for the south-west. As part of the Government's consideration of the report of the panel published in January 2008, the Departments for Transport and for Communities and Local Government are considering the transport implications of the proposed levels of growth. No conclusions have been reached by the Government on any of the panel's recommendations.
	Bournemouth borough council has not put forward proposals to the Government for new housing growth in its area. However, in relation to proposals for growth from Poole council, the Department is working with Poole and its neighbouring authorities including Bournemouth to examine the transport impact of the planned growth in the area.
	The Departments for Transport and for Communities and Local Government have provided £200,000 towards the cost of studies by Poole and its neighbouring authorities to assess the need for transport infrastructure improvements and to ensure that the proposed housing growth is sustainable and acceptable environmentally.

Transport: Bournemouth

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 6 March 2008,  Official Report, column 2766W, on transport: finance, how much of  (a) the £87 million regional transport budget and  (b) the £173.7 million capital funding for the South West was allocated to Bournemouth.

Rosie Winterton: The information is as follows:
	 (a) None of the regional transport budget for 2006-07 was allocated to Bournemouth borough council because the authority did not have any approved major schemes in construction during that year.
	 (b) Of the £173.3 million block capital funding for local authorities in the South West region for 2006-07, £2.691 million was allocated to Bournemouth borough council, consisting of an integrated transport allocation of £1.652 million and a highways capital maintenance allocation of £1.039 million.

Transport: East of England

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 3 March 2008,  Official Report, columns 97-8WS, on rail and road capacity (east of England), what estimate she has made of the cost of the proposed  (a) rail and  (b) road improvements; and what contribution she expects to be forthcoming from BAA to each.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 7 March 2008
	The proposed work to look into capacity improvements on the M11 and the West Anglia Main Line will examine a range of potential options. At this stage, it is too early to provide any clear indications of scheme costs.
	In line with the provisions in the 2003 Future of Air Transport White Paper, BAA will contribute to the costs to the extent that improvements are required to cater for airport-related traffic, subject to the necessary referral to the economic regulator and the planning process.

Transport: Kent

Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which integrated transport projects undertaken by Kent county council in north Kent have been financed by the proceeds of the Dartford River Crossing tolls; and in which constituencies those projects are located.

Rosie Winterton: The Department has made available £1 million per year extra since 2003 to Kent county council to help deliver local transport projects. This is in recognition of the impact of the crossing on local residents.
	This funding is provided as an addition to the local transport block capital allocation for Kent county council, which in 2007-08 totalled £36.737 million. Responsibility for allocating these funds is a matter for Kent county council, and the Department does not require the authority to provide detailed returns on its decisions.

Travel Concessions

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps she is taking to ensure that local authorities receive funding from central Government to fully cover the costs of implementing the national concessionary fares scheme.

Rosie Winterton: The Government are confident that the overall level of funding for the statutory minimum provision of concessionary travel is sufficient to cover the full cost.
	Following the introduction of the free off-peak local bus travel concession within local authority areas in April 2006, central Government provided an extra £350 million in 2006-07 and £367.5 million in 2007-08 for statutory concessionary fares through the revenue support grant. The Department is now paying an additional special grant of £212 million in 2008-09 (rising thereafter) just to cover the cost of extending the statutory minimum bus concession to provide free off-peak local bus travel anywhere in England. This additional amount of £212 million is based on our assessment of the likely cost impact of the new concession which is based on generous assumptions about pass take-up, fares and increased patronage.
	The proposed distribution of this grant was published by the Department for Transport in the Special Grant Report (No. 129) on 19 February. The final distribution will be subject to parliamentary debate and a copy of the report is in the Library of the House.
	In addition, the Government paid a grant of over £31 million in total to travel concession authorities (TCAs) in England outside London in this financial year (2007-08) to cover the cost of issuing concessionary travel passes. The passes grant to each TCA is based on an allowance of £4 for each pass currently in circulation, uplifted by 20 per cent. to recognise that the new concession is likely to be more attractive than the existing one.

TREASURY

Car Allowances

Annette Brooke: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will publish the results of the review of the Approved Mileage Allowance Payments Scheme.

Angela Eagle: The Chancellor announced in Budget 2008 that the Government would maintain the tax-free mileage allowance (AMAPs) rates and thresholds at current levels.

Charities: Income Tax

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps the Government plan to take in relation to the potential effects on charities in receipt of gift aid of the new basic rate of income tax to be introduced in April 2008.

Jane Kennedy: holding answer 12 March 2008
	HM Treasury has recently consulted on ways to drive up charitable giving from individuals through gift aid.
	The Government published their response to the consultation at Budget.

Child Tax Credit

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 6 March 2008,  Official Report, column 2800W, on welfare tax credits, how many of the households with positive entitlement to child tax credit did not claim it in 2005-06.

Jane Kennedy: HMRC tax credit statistics show that take-up of the child tax credit was 82 per cent. by case load in 2005-06, rising to 96 per cent. for those families with children on the lowest incomes. Consistent take-up estimates for families classified as being in poverty according to the definition used in "Households Below Average Income" are not available.

Departmental Recruitment

John Spellar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what civil service grade his Department's director in public services is; how the position was advertised; which search consultants were involved; what references were taken up for the successful candidate; at what level the decision to appoint was taken; and whether Ministers were involved in the decision.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 10 March 2008
	The director of public services is graded as senior civil service payband 2.
	Rockpools was engaged by the Department to assist with the recruitment campaign, and the post was advertised in  The Sunday Times on 9 December 2007.
	In line with the civil service commissioners' recruitment code, the selection panel was chaired by a civil service commissioner and comprised the Treasury's second permanent secretary, along with an external representative. No Ministers were involved in the decision-making process.
	Appropriate references were obtained on the successful candidate in line with the Department's policy on pre-employment checks.

Written Questions

Michael Penning: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many written questions to his Department had not received an answer as at 25 February 2008 for  (a) between two and four,  (b) between four and six,  (c) between six and eight and  (d) more than eight weeks; and how many in each category were tabled for named- day answer.

Angela Eagle: The information requested is given in the table:
	
		
			  Weeks  Questions awaiting answer (named day component) 
			 2-4 13 (-) 
			 4-6 14 (2) 
			 6-8 11 (1) 
			 8 + 17 (1) 
		
	
	Treasury Ministers have answered substantively 2,123 House of Commons written questions in the present session. Over the preceding seven sessions since 2000-01, some 78 per cent. of the 26,493 written questions received by the Treasury were answered substantively on or before the due date.

Economic Situation: Cumbria

Jamie Reed: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to take into account  (a) the wider social and economic issues facing West Cumbria,  (b) the needs of businesses in the same area,  (c) the skills and experience of the Whitehaven workforce and  (d) West Cumbria's roads and public transport infrastructure when making decisions relating to the future of the HM Revenue and Customs office in Whitehaven.

Jane Kennedy: Factors such as these are taken into account before a decision is made on the future of any office in HMRC's regional review programme. The overall aim of this programme is to restructure HMRC's estate and business in the most efficient way possible so as to provide a better service at a lower cost to the taxpayer.

HM Revenue and Customs: Bonuses

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what criteria are used to determine  (a) the total amount available for bonus payments to HM Revenue and Customs staff in each pay year and  (b) the amounts awarded to individuals as bonuses.

Jane Kennedy: A common pay framework for the Senior Civil Service (SCS) is determined by the Cabinet Office, and not delegated to individual Departments. This framework includes incentive payments for the highest-performing staff who can demonstrate that they have delivered the outcomes expected of them and service improvements that matter to the public. The Cabinet Office also determines the size of the overall SCS bonus pot each year.
	Full details of SCS pay criteria and awards are set out annually by the Senior Salaries Review Body. Its 29th Report on Senior Salaries 2007 (Cm 7030) includes a review of the pay system in 2005-06 and recommendations for 2006-07.
	In accordance with this guidance, HMRC paid performance awards in four non-consolidated, non-pensionable tranches for 2006-07: zero, minimum (£3,000), medium (9 per cent. of base salary) and high (15 per cent. of base salary). Payment of these bonuses was made in November 2007.
	Pay for other staff is delegated to individual Departments, who are expected to negotiate pay deals with their staff in accordance with pay remit guidance issued by HM Treasury. HMRC agreed a three-year pay remit with the Treasury in 2005, and a three-year pay settlement with staff and unions for pay awards in 2005-06, 2006-07 and 2007-08. HMRC has made provision for a proportion of the overall funds available to be invested in non-consolidated performance awards.
	HMRC's bonus pot of 0.80 per cent. is currently below the minimum level of 2.5 per cent. recommended in the pay remit guidance. HMRC's pay settlement provides for a payment for a "top performer" of between 2.5 per cent. and 5 per cent. of salary, and a smaller payment for a "good performer" whose salary has reached the range maximum.
	HMRC sets the actual percentage of performance awards paid each year on the basis of affordability, after analysing performance marks received by staff and the resulting cost implications.

HM Revenue and Customs: Data Protection

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many occasions HM Revenue and Customs has transferred more than 50 tax returns between offices in each of the last 12 months.

Jane Kennedy: The requested information is not available.

HM Revenue and Customs: Training

Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what training courses were attended by HM Revenue and Customs staff in the last 12 months.

Jane Kennedy: The information requested has been placed in the Library of the House.

HM Revenue and Customs: Whitehaven

Jamie Reed: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how staff from the HM Revenue and Customs office in Whitehaven will be consulted on the future of the office.

Jane Kennedy: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) publishes its proposals on its internal staff intranet at the start of any review, and whenever possible business units hold face-to-face meetings with staff to explain and discuss the proposals. Staff are invited to comment on them, either individually or as part of a team, via a dedicated e-mail facility. Staff can also engage with their trade unions to put forward their views.

HM Revenue and Customs: Whitehaven

Jamie Reed: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects the consultation on the future of the HM Revenue and Customs office in Whitehaven to  (a) begin and  (b) conclude; and what criteria he expects to be taken into account in the decision-making process.

Jane Kennedy: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has too much office space and will need even less in the future. It is therefore engaged in a review programme to decide which offices best suit its future business needs. It has already reviewed offices in and around the major urban centres, and is currently working on a timetable, which it hopes to publish shortly, for the review of its remaining offices, including Whitehaven.
	The potential impacts of an office closure on staff, customers and the wider local community are taken into account in the decision-making process, and balanced against HMRC's overall aim of restructuring its estate and business in the most efficient way possible.

Income Tax Rates and Bands

Stephen Williams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the revenue that would be raised by a 1 per cent. increase in the higher rate of income tax, based on  (a) 2007-08 tax bands and  (b) 2008-09 tax bands.

Jane Kennedy: The cost or yield from a 1p change in the higher rate of income tax is regularly published in the "Tax ready reckoner and tax reliefs", copies of which are in the Library, and in table 1.6 on the HM Revenue and Customs' website:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/tax_expenditures/menu.htm
	An updated version of table 1.6 reflecting changes announced in Budget 2007 which take effect from April 2008 is due to be published at the end of April.

Landfill Tax

Alan Whitehead: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what percentage of the landfill levy was allocated as tax foregone in  (a) 2004,  (b) 2005,  (c) 2006 and  (d) 2007;
	(2)  what income he received from the operation of the landfill levy in  (a) 2004,  (b) 2005,  (c) 2006 and  (d) 2007;
	(3)  what the disbursements from tax foregone on the landfill levy to  (a) environmental trusts and other bodies and  (b) Business Resource Efficiency and Waste were in (i) 2004, (ii) 2005, (iii) 2006 and (iv) 2007.

Angela Eagle: Latest landfill tax receipts are published by HM Revenue and Customs at
	http://www.uktradeinfo.com/index.cfm?task=bulllandfill
	This also includes estimates of tax forgone as a result of contributions to environmental bodies (EBs) through the Landfill Communities Fund (LCF); the Business Resource Efficiency and Waste programme is not funded via tax foregone.
	Information submitted to ENTRUST, the regulatory body for the LCF, shows the total contributions received by EBs as follows:
	
		
			   £ 
			 2004 46,610,695 
			 2005 52,723,090 
			 2006 56,013,671 
			 2007 64,549,433

Public Buildings

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy of the Public Sector Building Non-housing (PUBSEC) index, rebased to 2000, for each quarter of each financial from since 1990 to 2000.

Malcolm Wicks: I have been asked to reply.
	The Public Sector (Non-Housebuilding) index was published in the bulletin "Quarterly Building Price and Cost Indices". I have arranged for a copy of the index, rebased to the year 2000, to be deposited in the Library.

Regional Development Agencies: Complaints

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many complaints against regional development agencies were  (a) received and  (b) upheld in each year for which figures are available.

Patrick McFadden: I have been asked to reply.
	RDAs record information relating to formal complaints in different ways. The following tables show the number of complaints against RDAs which were received and upheld.
	
		
			   2002-03  2003-04  2004-05 
			  RDAs  Complaints received  Complaints upheld  Complaints received  Complaints upheld  Complaints received  Complaints upheld 
			 AWM1 — — — — 2 2 
			 EEDA2 3 — 5 1 4 1 
			 HMD A3 — — — — — — 
			 LDA4 — — — — 17 0 
			 NWDA 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 ONES — — — — — — 
			 SEEDA6 — — — — — — 
			 SWRDA 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 YF7 — — 10 0 3 0 
		
	
	
		
			   2005-06  2006-07 
			  RDAs  Complaints received  Complaints upheld  Complaints received  Complaints upheld 
			 AWM1 3 3 3 3 
			 EEDA2 4 3 6 2 
			 HMD A3 0 0 0 0 
			 LDA 29 0 20 0 
			 NWDA 0 0 7 1 
			 ONES 20 0 24 0 
			 SEEDA6 2 0 1 0 
			 SWRDA 0 0 1 0 
			 YF 9 0 16 0 
			  Notes: 1. AWM only records formal complaints which could not be resolved in the first instance and required further action to resolve them. The AWM figures in the table all relate to formal complaints which required investigation and, in some cases, further action. 2. EEDA's complaints upheld figures for 2002-03 are in archive and are not held centrally and are available only at disproportionate cost. Complaints received figures for 2002-03 are from the annual reports and accounts. 3. EMDA only records complaints which could not be resolved in the first instance and required further action to resolve them. 4. LDA's figures for 2002-03 and 2003-04 are archived. This information is not held centrally and is available only at disproportionate cost. 5. Prior to 2005-06, ONE did not record complaints received. After 2005-06, the agency only recorded complaints received. The complaints procedure is not designed to result in a complaint being 'upheld' or not. The complaints ONE receives are rarely of a nature that enables them to record information in this way as the procedure is actually a mediation process. For example, a complaint may relate to failure of a complainant to secure funding - the resolution in this case would be to discuss feedback with the complainant and point them in the direction of alternative funding sources. 6. SEEDA only records complaints which could not be resolved in the first instance and required further action to resolve them. 7 Prior to 2003-04, YF did not record complaints received.

Revenue and Customs: Disclosure of Information

John Gummer: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  whether he has authorised the purchase by HM Revenue and Customs of information suspected to be stolen;
	(2)  whether he has had discussions with the Principality of Liechtenstein on the return of stolen information to the Bank of Liechtenstein;
	(3)  what code of ethics applies to the procurement by HM Revenue and Customs of suspected stolen documentation;
	(4)  whether he has had discussions with the Chairman of HM Revenue and Customs on the purchase by HM Revenue and Customs of suspected stolen documents.

Jane Kennedy: Handling information relating to the administration of taxes is an operational matter for HMRC, which discusses a wide range of taxation issues with international businesses and tax authorities.
	The Government have bilateral international treaties which provide for HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to work with other countries' tax administrations to secure and share information to prevent double taxation, to prevent fraud and avoidance, and to implement domestic law.
	In relation to other aspects of the handling of this individual case, I refer the right hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave on 10 March 2008,  Official Report, column 116W, to the hon. Member for Twickenham (Dr. Cable).

VAT

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much value-added tax was collected in each local authority area in England in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

Jane Kennedy: Geographical analysis of where VAT is collected is not available.

VAT: Plastic Bags

Nigel Evans: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of value-added tax revenue raised on re-usable shopping bags in 2006.

Jane Kennedy: No estimate has been made.

Working Tax Credit: Morecambe

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people in the Morecambe and Lunesdale constituency received working tax credit in the latest period for which figures are available.

Jane Kennedy: In 2005-06, the average number of families receiving working tax credits in the Morecambe and Lunesdale constituency was 3,400.
	This information is from the HMRC publication "Child and Working Tax Credits Statistics. Finalised Annual Awards 2005-06. Geographical Analysis", which is available on the HMRC website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc-geog-stats.htm

PRIME MINISTER

Departmental Pensions

David Simpson: To ask the Prime Minister how many and what percentage of staff in his office were making additional voluntary contributions to their pensions in each of the last two years.

Gordon Brown: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today by the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office, my hon. Friend the Member for West Bromwich, East (Mr. Watson).

Fairtrade Initiatives

Michael Moore: To ask the Prime Minister what his Office's policy is on the use of fair trade goods  (a) in staff catering facilities and  (b) at official departmental functions and meetings; and if he will make a statement.

Gordon Brown: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him today by the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office, my hon. Friend the Member for West Bromwich, East (Mr. Watson).

NORTHERN IRELAND

Crime

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many incidents of hate crimes were recorded in Northern Ireland in  (a) 2006 and  (b) 2007.

Paul Goggins: The following table records the number of 'Hate Incidents' recorded in Northern Ireland by the PSNT in 2006 and 2007.
	
		
			   1 January to 31 Decembe r each year 
			  Motivation  2006  2007( 1) 
			 Racist 1,069 852 
			 Homophobic 177 136 
			 Faith/Religion 123 152 
			 Sectarian 1,754 1,097 
			 Disability 52 49 
			 Transphobic 28 9 
			 (1) The hate motivation figures for 2007 are provisional and should be treated with caution. The PSNI is aware of some under-recording in these incident types during 2007-08 as a result of a change in processes/systems that was introduced on 1 April 2007. Procedures have been put in place to improve the accuracy of these figures by the end of the financial year.  Source: Central Statistics Unit, PSNI

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Abbott Mead Vickers

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many contracts there were between his Department and Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO in each of the last 10 years; and what the  (a) value and  (b) purpose of each was.

Margaret Hodge: There have been no contracts between DCMS and Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO in the last 10 years.

Archaeology: Flag Fen

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether he plans to offer financial or other assistance to the Flag Fen bronze age site near Peterborough to  (a) continue and  (b) expand its (i) exhibition and (ii) excavation work; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 10 March 2008
	 Since 1988-89 English Heritage, the Government's statutory adviser on the historic environment, has given around £356,000 to the Fenland Archaeological Trust (FAT) for surveys, excavation, analysis, detailed publication and public presentation of the Flag Fen site and its surroundings. £300,000 of this was given through the former Archaeology Commissions programme (now Historic Environment Enabling Programme). A further £56,000 was contributed through regional grant aid specifically for the Preservation Hall. In addition to this expenditure a popular account of the site was published in the English Heritage/Batsford series on England's archaeology. In 2008-09 English Heritage will be providing a further contribution of around £1,500 towards the publication of more recent investigations. Supporting the exhibition is outside the remit of English Heritage's grant schemes.
	FAT is a partner in the Greater Fens Museum Partnership, which is receives £96,200 from the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council's (MLA) "Renaissance in the Regions" regional museums development programme. The trust has received £1,500 for object conservation work from MLA.
	FAT also secured £600,000 from the Millennium Commission towards the cost of a new Heritage Centre, as part of the £5.408 million Peterborough Green Wheel project. FAT has received two grants from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF). In March 2006 the trust was awarded £178,000 to support education and outreach activities, and in August 2006, £44,688 was awarded for a project planning grant. HLF is anticipating a larger application as a result of this work.

Arts Council of England

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will place in the Library a copy of Arts Council England's most recent edition of its register of interests, gifts, hospitality and other benefits.

Margaret Hodge: The information available will be placed in the Library of the House.

Arts Council of England: Public Appointments

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the process for  (a) appointing and  (b) removing (i) national and (ii) regional Arts Council England members is.

Margaret Hodge: The process for appointing national members and regional chairs of Arts Council England is set out in the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments' Code of Practice. It includes ministerial agreement to a role specification against which candidates are assessed, advertising in the national press or on the DCMS and Cabinet Office websites and interviews of shortlisted candidates by a selection panel, followed by recommendations to Ministers on whom to appoint. An independent assessor is involved throughout, the final decision and appointment is then made by DCMS Ministers.
	Non-chair members of the regional councils are appointed by the national council. The standard process involves advertisement and interviews followed by recommendations to the national council, which takes the final decision. However, for each regional council six of the members (eight on the South East regional council) are nominated by local authorities, regional government or regional development agencies, and then appointed by the national council.
	The London regional council chair and four non-chair members are appointed by the Mayor of London (in the case of the chair, Secretary of State approval is also required).
	Appointments of national members and regional chairs of Arts Council England may be terminated by the Secretary of State in accordance with article 7 of the Arts Council England Royal Charter and as set out in the terms and conditions of appointment.
	National Council can remove non-chair members of any regional council (with the exception of the London regional council) with reasonable cause.
	The Mayor of London can remove the London regional council chair and non-chair members with reasonable cause (in the case of the chair, Secretary of State approval is also required).

Casinos: Cash Dispensing

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether automated teller machines authorised to be placed in casinos licensed under the Gambling Act 2005 will be permitted to dispense cash from credit card accounts.

Gerry Sutcliffe: A customer may obtain cash from an automated teller machine (ATM) in casinos by means of a credit card. A customer may not use a credit card to gamble at any gaming table, gaming machine or betting machine, or to purchase gaming chips.
	The Gambling Act 2005 (Mandatory and Default Conditions) (England and Wales) Regulations 2007 attach a condition to all types of casino premises licence that any ATM made available shall be located in a place that requires any customer who wishes to use it to cease gambling at any gaming table, gaming machine or betting machine in order to do so.

Culture Online

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment his Department has made of the impact of Culture Online on reaching new audiences for the arts, with particular reference to hard-to-reach groups.

Margaret Hodge: The Department commissioned Demos to produce an overview of Culture Online's work. Its report "Logging On: Culture, Participation and the Web" was published in May 2007. It provides an overview of lessons learned from the Culture Online programme and advice on how web technology can increase public participation in culture. I am arranging for copies of the report to be deposited in the Library.

Culture Online

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what targets were set for measuring Culture Online's performance in  (a) engaging with hard-to-reach groups,  (b) enhancing access to the arts for children and young people and  (c) opening up cultural institutions to the wider community.

Margaret Hodge: Culture Online commissioned a range of innovative projects aimed at different audiences. Each project had targets built into Culture Online's delivery contract with partner organisations, which included user numbers, costs per user and, where appropriate, engagement with specific audience groups.

Culture Online

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much funding was set aside for Culture Online; and how much was spent in each year since 2002.

Margaret Hodge: Funding of £10 million was allocated to Culture Online in 2002, mainly from the Capital Modernisation Fund. In 2005, an additional £3 million was allocated. Expenditure on Culture Online in each year since it was established is set out in the table. Culture Online closed at the end of March 2007.
	
		
			  Financial year  £ 
			 2002-03 265,379 
			 2003-04 1,439,034 
			 2004-05 3,893,000 
			 2005-06 2,657,000 
			 2006-07 4,205,000 
			 2007-08 spend to date 72,312

Culture: Coastal Areas

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps his Department is taking to encourage cultural regeneration in coastal resorts.

Margaret Hodge: My Department's £45 million fund (£15 million a year over three years) to regenerate seaside resorts through heritage and cultural projects was announced on 30 November 2007.
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will make an announcement on the funding proposals for year 1 of the programme shortly.

Culture: Sponsorship

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Hayes and Harlington of 3 March 2008,  Official Report, column 2124W, on Culture: Sponsorship, how much business spending on the arts was in each year between 1997-98 and 2005-06.

Margaret Hodge: The figures for business sponsorship of the arts are measured in the annual Private Investment Benchmarking Survey conducted by Arts and Business. The survey methodology was changed in 2002-03, and therefore the figures are not directly comparable.
	
		
			   £ million 
			 199-98 115.1 
			 1998-99 141.2 
			 1999-2000 150.4 
			 2000-01 114.4 
			 2001-02 111.0 
			   
			  New survey method introduced  
			 2002-03 164.2 
			 2003-04 152.1 
			 2004-05 155.0 
			 2005-06 154.2 
			 2006-07 171.5

Departmental Data Protection

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether confidential or personal information has been compromised through the loss of property from his Department since 1997.

Gerry Sutcliffe: My Department has had no reports of confidential or personal information being compromised as a result of the loss of DCMS property since 1997.

Departmental Official Visits

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the cost was of overnight accommodation for  (a) civil servants,  (b) special advisers and  (c) Ministers in his Department staying overnight in (i) mainland Great Britain, (ii) Northern Ireland, (iii) the Republic of Ireland and (iv) other countries in the last 12 months.

Margaret Hodge: Expenditure on hotel and other privately provided accommodation is not held separately or by the categories requested in the Department's accounting system. This information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	Information relating to overseas travel by Ministers is published on an annual basis. Information for the period 1 May 1997 to 31 March 2007 is available in the Library of the House. Information for the financial year 2007-08 will be published after the end of the current financial year.
	All travel is conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Ministerial Code, Travel by Ministers and the Civil Service Management Code.

Departmental Pensions

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many and what percentage of staff in his Department were making additional voluntary contributions to their pensions in each of the last two years.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The number and percentage of staff in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport who have been making additional voluntary contributions to their pension in the last two years are as follows:
	
		
			   Staff  Percentage 
			 2006-07 6 1.14 
			 2007-08 6 1.25

Internet Access

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what regulations govern access by minors to adult content on the internet.

Margaret Hodge: While there are no specific regulations in this area, the Government have taken steps to protect children from harmful content. Examples include the establishment and work of the Internet Watch Foundation, the Home Office task force on child protection and the cyber bullying guidance published by the DCSF in September 2007. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Coventry, South (Mr. Cunningham) on 23 January 2008,  Official Report, column 2038W, which gives more details about these measures.
	In addition, the Prime Minister announced a review of the risk to children of exposure to harmful or inappropriate content in video games and online. The review will assess the effectiveness and adequacy of existing measures to help prevent children from being exposed to such material and help parents understand and manage the risks of access to inappropriate content.
	Dr. Tanya Byron is conducting this review, and will report to Ministers in March 2008.

Religious Buildings: Finance

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which places of worship in Bexley have received funding from  (a) English Heritage and  (b) the Heritage Lottery Fund since 1997.

Margaret Hodge: Christ Church, Broadway, Bexleyheath received a grant from the Joint Places of Worship grant scheme. This scheme was jointly funded by English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund and ended in 2002.
	The Church of All Saints, Foot's Cray, has received a grant under the successor grant programme, the Repair Grants for Places of Worship scheme. This scheme is also jointly funded by English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Tourism: Finance

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much his Department provided to each of the regional development agencies for the promotion of tourism in each of the last five years for which figures are available; what the  (a) purpose and  (b) value of each such payment was; and what further such expenditure he plans in the next three years.

Margaret Hodge: Funding for regional development agencies (RDAs) is not ring-fenced for particular economic sectors such as tourism. In each year since 2003-04, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has contributed £3.6 million to the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform's (DBERR's) Single Programme budget (the "Single Pot") in respect of the tourism responsibilities of the eight regional development agencies (RDAs) outside London. The Single Pot, which will total approximately £2.2 billion, £2.2 billion and £2.1billion in 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11 respectively, is allocated among the RDAs by DBERR. The DCMS's contribution will be £3.5 million, £3.4 million and £3.3 million in these years.
	The Greater London Authority (GLA) is responsible for tourism in London. The DCMS has provided £1.9 million each year since 2001-02 to the GLA to support the Mayor in the delivery of the GLA's statutory tourism duties. The GLA and the London Development Agency report total spending of around £22 million on tourism support in 2006-07.
	Since 2003-04, all the RDAs have developed regional tourism strategies, budgets, and delivery mechanisms, and worked with regional partners and VisitBritain to promote and develop their region's tourism industry. The RDAs outside London reported total spending on tourism support of £29.8 million in 2006-07.

Tourism: North West

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions he has had on tourism in  (a) the north-west and  (b) Cheshire; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: Ministers and officials have had various discussions about tourism in the north-west in recent months, in particular with the North West Regional Development Agency, the Lancashire and Blackpool Tourist Board and the Liverpool Culture Company. I visited Chester on 25 February and met a range of people from the public and private tourism sectors to discuss their plans for the future. I have also had many discussions with VisitBritain about its role in promoting tourism in the whole of Britain, including the north-west.
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is due to participate in the Local Government Association's Culture, Tourism and Sport Conference in Liverpool on 14 March. I plan to visit Cumbria on 17 March to meet representatives of Cumbria Tourism.

Wind Power

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to which wind farm proposals his Department lodged objections in each of the last three years; and for what reasons in each case.

Margaret Hodge: No such objections have been lodged.

HEALTH

Accident and Emergency Departments: Admissions

Howard Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have attended accident and emergency departments in England in each of the last five years in order to receive treatment for minor  (a) ailments and  (b) injuries.

Ben Bradshaw: The table shows the number of attendances at minor injury and illness accident and emergency (A and E) services, including walk-in centres (WiCs) (type 3 including WiCs). It also shows total attendances for other types of A and E department (types 1 and 2).
	It should be noted that reason for attendance at A and E services is not currently centrally available, so it is not possible to ascertain whether all patients attending type 3 services, including WiCs, are in fact doing so with minor ailments or minor injuries. Nor is it possible to ascertain how many of those attending other types of A and E are doing so with minor ailments or minor injuries.
	
		
			  Attendances at A and E departments, minor injury units and WiCs centres, England, 2002-03 to 2006-07 
			   Type 1 and 2  Type 3 (including WiC) 
			 2002-03 12,510,682 1,880,840 
			 2003-04 13,272,055 3,244,790 
			 2004-05 13,885,052 3,952,128 
			 2005-06 14,202,418 4,556,746 
			 2006-07 14,226,176 4,696,099 
			  Note: WiCs were only included in the collection from Q1 2003-04.  Source: Department of Health QMAE dataset

Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 29 January 2008,  Official Report, columns 325-6W, Alcoholic drinks: Misuse, how many  (a) females and  (b) males were considered to be binge drinkers in each of the last five years.

Dawn Primarolo: The Office for National Statistics (ONS) general household survey provides an estimate of the percentage of men and women who drank more eight or six units respectively than on at least one day in the previous week, a measure of binge drinking.
	The following table gives figures for the percentage of men and women who were considered to be binge drinkers for the last five years where figures are available. It is important to note that in December 2007, the ONS described improvements in the ONS method for estimating alcohol consumption.
	The improved method takes account of increases in the alcoholic strength of wine and the sizes of glass used, and uses better estimates of the alcoholic strength of beers, lagers and ciders. Figures for 2005 and 2006 were re-calculated using this improved methodology. Figures for years prior to 2005 were not re-calculated.
	
		
			   Percentage of men who drank more than 8 units on any 1 day in the previous week  Percentage of women who drank more than 6 units on any 1 day in the previous week 
			  Old method   
			 2002 21 10 
			 2003 23 9 
			 2004 22 9 
			 2005 19 8 
			 2006 18 8 
			  Improved method   
			 2005 23 15 
			 2006 23 15

Care Homes

Stephen Ladyman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many units of accommodation have been provided using funding from the extra care housing grant since it began; how many have been provided by  (a) councils,  (b) registered social landlords and  (c) the private sector; and if he will make a statement on the future use of the grant.

Ivan Lewis: The development of more than 4,200 units of accommodation is being funded by the Department's extra care housing grant. All 72 schemes receiving funding from this grant were delivered by a council, and 68 of the schemes were delivered by councils in partnership with a registered social landlord. Records are not held centrally on private-sector involvement in the schemes.
	A further £80 million will be made available between 2008 and 2010 to fund further extra care housing developments in England.

Cervical Cancer: Screening

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cervical cancer screenings there were in  (a) Tamworth and  (b) Staffordshire in each of the last five years.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not available in the format requested. However, data for the cervical screening programme: coverage of the target age group (25-64) for Staffordshire based primary care trusts (PCTs), at 31 March 2003 to 2007 are set out in the following tables.
	
		
			  North Staffordshire PCT( 1) 
			   2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 Eligible population(2) 50,750 50,490 50,391 50,211 50,290 
			 Women screened (less than 3.5 yrs since last adequate test) 40,618 39,863 39,304 38,721 38,289 
			 Women screened (less than 5 yrs since last adequate test) 43,235 42,685 42,359 41,754 41,414 
			 Coverage (less than 3.5 yrs since last adequate test) (percentage) 80.0 79.0 78.0 77.1 76.1 
			 Coverage (less than 5 yrs since last adequate test) (percentage) 85.2 84.5 84.1 83.2 82.4 
		
	
	
		
			  South Staffordshire PCT( 1) 
			   2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 Eligible population(2) 146,059 146,389 146,946 147,939 148,521 
			 Women screened (less than 3.5 yrs since last adequate test) 115,112 114,587 114,159 114,549 113,813 
			 since last adequate test) 123,557 123,036 122,701 122,608 122,416 
			 Coverage (less than 3.5 yrs since last adequate test) (percentage) 78.8 78.3 77.7 77.4 76.6 
			 Coverage (less than 5 yrs since last adequate test) (percentage) 84.6 84.0 83.5 82.9 82.4 
			 (1 )Data prior to March 2007 have been mapped to the current PCT structure (2) This is the number of women in the resident population less those with recall ceased for clinical reasons.  Note: National policy for the cervical screening programme is that eligible women aged 25 to 64 should be screened every three or five years (women aged 25 to 49 are screened every three years, those aged 50 to 64 every five years).  Source: KC53 Parts A2 and A3, the Information Centre for health and social care.

Community Care: Expenditure

Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was spent on NHS-funded continuing care for  (a) adults with learning disabilities,  (b) older people,  (c) adults with physical disabilities and  (d) adults with mental health problems in each primary care trust area in England in each quarter of 2007.

Ivan Lewis: The information requested is not collected by the Department.

Dementia: Health Services

John MacDougall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made on development of a national dementia strategy; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The Department has so far published two documents in support of the forthcoming national dementia strategy—'Strengthening the Involvement of People with Dementia: a resource for implementation' was published in November 2007 and 'Creative models of short breaks (respite care) for people with dementia' in February 2008.
	The Department is working with stakeholder groups in developinf the national dementia strategy, and a formal consultation on the draft will take place between June and August 2008.

Drugs: Babies

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many babies were born with an addiction to a class A drug in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Dawn Primarolo: We do not hold this information centrally but the following table gives details of babies born with addictions to any substance. The figures are from the Hospital Episodes Statistics (HES) and are based on the World Health Organisation's (WHO) ICD-10 codes for identification of conditions. (ICD is the WHO's system for identifying conditions. ICD-10 is the tenth (and current) version.
	
		
			   Finished consultant episodes for ICD-10 code P96.1 
			 2006-07 1,162 
			 2005-06 1,183 
			 2004-05 1,160 
			 2003-04 1,127 
			 2002-03 1,031 
		
	
	There are no specific codes in ICD-10 that identify babies born with class A drug addiction. ICD-10 code P96.1 (neonatal withdrawal symptoms from maternal use of drugs of addiction) indicates withdrawal symptoms due to maternal use of drugs of addiction. The fact that the neonate is in withdrawal indicates that they were born addicted to a drug. However, it is not limited to class A drug addiction. The P96.1 code includes neonatal addiction as a result of maternal use of class A drugs but also includes maternal addiction to any drug, for example cannabis or analgesics.

Drugs: Misuse

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent estimate he has made of the number of people with chronic health problems arising from illicit drug-taking; and what estimate he has made of the annual cost to the NHS of this.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department has not made any formal estimate of the number of people with chronic health problems arising from illicit drug-taking. Nor has it made an estimate of the annual cost of this to the national health service.
	However, there is a strong evidence base which has established the serious harms that drug misuse causes including those that are health-related. This is why we have invested substantially in drug treatment, allocating another £398 million pooled drug treatment budget this year for the treatment of drug misuse.
	The Government launched their new national Drug Strategy on 27 February 2008, which, following on from the previous Drug Strategy, again identifies effective treatment as key to tackling these problems.

Hearing Impaired: Standards

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on the recommended frequency with which people with hearing and balance disorders should be monitored by health care professionals.

Ivan Lewis: Patients should be advised to return to primary care to be referred for a review on a needs basis. It is suggested that patients are reviewed after a period of time, to check that their hearing aid is delivering optimum benefits. The frequency of such a review should be determined locally in conjunction with audiology providers and based on patient need. If a patient's hearing deteriorates and/or they feel their hearing aid is no longer fit for purpose, they should be advised to return to primary care where support may be provided. If appropriate, the patient will be referred to an audiology provider for assessment and, if required, treatment.

Macular Degeneration: Smoking

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will commission research on the relationship between smoking and the long-term incidence of age-related macular degeneration; if he will consider as part of the research the work that has been carried out by  (a) Jennifer S. Tan and others for the Centre for Vision Research, University of Sydney and the Department of Ophthalmology, Westmead Hospital, New South Wales and  (b) U. Chakravarthy and others; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: Research proposals in all areas compete for the funding available. The usual practice of the Department's National Institute for Health Research and of the Medical Research Council is not to ring-fence funds for expenditure on particular topics. Both organisations welcome applications for support for research on any aspect of human health and these are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the scientific quality of the proposals made.

Nursing and Midwifery Council

Jim Devine: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will bring forward proposals to improve the regulation of the activities of the Nursing and Midwifery Council; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: In February 2007 Government published the White Paper "Trust, Assurance and Safety - The Regulation of Health Professionals in the 21st Century", which sets out a series of proposals to modernise the system of professional regulation. These proposals include a number of reforms to the governance of the regulatory bodies, such as the introduction of fully appointed, smaller, more board-like councils, where professional members no longer form a majority.
	The Health and Social Care Bill will introduce provision to require the Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence (CHRE) in its annual report to state how far, in exercising statutory functions, it and each health professions regulatory body has, in the council's opinion, promoted the health, safety and well-being of patients and other members of the public. It also clarifies that the CHRE is not prevented from investigating particular cases for the purpose of making general reports on the performance of health care regulatory bodies of its functions or making general recommendations to those bodies affecting future cases.
	All regulators are currently required to produce annual reports which they send to the Privy Council, which then lays the reports before each House of Parliament. We have introduced further provision on the content of these reports, which includes a description of the arrangements that the council has put in place to ensure that it adheres to good practice in relation to equality and diversity. It will be a requirement that the regulator lay a copy of its annual report and strategic plan before the United Kingdom Parliament, and where appropriate the Scottish Parliament.

Palliative Care: Cambridgeshire

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidance on supportive and palliative care has been implemented in North West Cambridgeshire.

Ivan Lewis: It is for individual primary care trusts (PCTs), including Cambridgeshire PCT, within the national health service to commission services for their resident population, including end of life care, based on assessments of local needs and priorities. The NHS has been asked to set out action plans to achieve compliance with the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence recommendations on supportive and palliative care. Implementation is being monitored by strategic health authorities (SHAs).
	Information on the rate of progress locally can be obtained through East of England SHA.

Palliative Care: Cambridgeshire

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what data are used by commissioners in North West Cambridgeshire to determine the need for specialist palliative and neurological care.

Ivan Lewis: It is for individual primary care trusts (PCTs), including Cambridgeshire PCT, within the national health service to commission services for their resident population, including end of life care and neurological care, based on an assessment of local needs and priorities. Strategic health authorities are responsible for monitoring PCTs to ensure that they are effective and efficient.
	The NHS operating framework for 2007-08 asked PCTs, working with local authorities, to undertake a baseline review of their end of life care services. These will allow local commissioners to assess current services, identify gaps and obtain a much clearer view of local need, which will inform local commissioning.
	Regarding neurological care, the information strategy published alongside the "National Service Framework for Long-term (Neurological) Conditions" outlines commissioners' information requirements and a series of local and national actions designed to meet those needs. A copy of the framework is available in the Library.

Palliative Care: Eastbourne

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what data are used by commissioners to determine the need for specialist palliative and neurological care in Eastbourne.

Ivan Lewis: It is for individual primary care trusts (PCTs), including East Sussex Downs and Weald PCT, within the national health service to commission services for their resident population, including end of life care and neurological care, based on an assessment of local needs and priorities. Strategic health authorities are responsible for monitoring PCTs to ensure they are effective and efficient.
	The NHS operating framework for 2007-08 asked PCTs, working with local authorities, to undertake a baseline review of their end of life care services. These will allow local commissioners to assess current services, identify gaps and obtain a much clearer view of local need, which will inform local commissioning.
	Regarding neurological care, the information strategy published alongside the 'National Service Framework for Long-term (Neurological) Conditions' outlines commissioners' information requirements and a series of local and national actions designed to meet those needs. A copy of this document is available in the Library.

Patients: Nutrition

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many bed days were occupied by patients with a  (a) primary and  (b) secondary diagnosis of (i) malnutrition, (ii) nutritional anaemias and (iii) other nutritional deficiencies in each year since 1997-98, broken down by NHS trust; and what estimate he has made of the cost per bed day of treating a patient with a (A) primary and (B) secondary diagnosis of (1) malnutrition, (2) nutritional anaemias and (3) other nutritional deficiencies in the latest period for which figures are available.

Dawn Primarolo: Detailed information has been placed in the Library.

Pharmacies: Opening Hours

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many pharmacies are operating for under 100 hours per week under the Medicines (Pharmacy and General Sale—Exemption) Amendment Order 2005 in the Peterborough constituency; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many pharmacies operate in the Peterborough constituency  (a) for under 100 hours a week under the provisions of section 12 of the National Health Service (Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 2005 and  (b) for over 100 hours a week under the provisions of section 13 of the regulations; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not held centrally.
	The hon. Member may wish to raise this issue directly with the chief executive of Peterborough primary care trust.

Self-Mutilation

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many recorded self-harm incidents there were in England in each of the last five years, broken down by  (a) age group,  (b) sex and  (c) constituency; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The data are not available in the requested format.
	Deliberate self-harm (DSH) results in about 170,000 attendances at accident and emergency departments in the United Kingdom annually, with more than 140,000 of these being in England and Wales. DSH is one of the top five causes of acute medical admission, and is the most common reason for medical admission of females and the second most common reason for males. Approximately two thirds of DSH patients are under 35 years old.
	Hospital episode statistics record the number of finished consultant episodes of people who have been admitted in national health service hospitals with a primary diagnosis of injury and poisoning. Since a high proportion of these records do not record an external cause of injury or poisoning, such as deliberate self-harm, it is not possible to ascertain the total number of self-harm admissions accurately.

Torbay Hospital: Parking

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the  (a) revenue income and  (b) estimated overhead cost of the parking charges scheme at Torbay hospital was in each of the last 10 years.

Ben Bradshaw: Hospital car parking charges are decided locally by individual trusts to help cover the cost of running and maintaining a car park. All trusts should have exemption and concessionary schemes in place to ensure that patients and carers who visit hospital regularly are not disadvantaged. They should also have sustainable public transport plans in place for staff and visitors.
	Data on the gross income that national health service trusts receive from car parking charges paid by staff and visitors have been collected since 2000. These data are provided by the NHS on a voluntary basis and have not been amended following their collection, nor have they been actively checked by the Department. They therefore cannot be confirmed to be accurate or complete.
	Information in respect of Torbay hospital, part of South Devon Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, is shown in the following table.
	
		
			   Total gross income from car parking charges 
			 2000-01 (1)— 
			 2001-02 208,081 
			 2002-03 316,896 
			 2003-04 347,413 
			 2004-05 418,319 
			 2005-06 464,327 
			 2006-07 464,213 
			 (1) Trust did not submit data 
		
	
	The Department does not collect information about the overhead costs that trusts will incur in providing car parking facilities.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

UK Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Geoffrey Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps the Government are taking to reduce UK greenhouse gas emissions.

Phil Woolas: UK greenhouse gas emissions have fallen by 16.4 per cent. since 1990 (20.7 per cent. including EU emmission trading scheme). We remain on course to nearly double our Kyoto Protocol target over the 2008-12 period.
	The 2006 UK Climate Change Programme and the 2007 Energy White Paper set out the policies and measures for reducing emissions, and support the UK's transition to a low carbon economy. The Climate Change Bill, the first of its kind in any country, introduces legally binding carbon budgets to ensure that progress will continue.

Ramsar Convention

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in what circumstances it is necessary to conduct  (a) an appropriate assessment and  (b) an environmental assessment before development on wetlands designated as being of international importance under the Ramsar convention.

Joan Ruddock: An appropriate assessment needs to be undertaken in respect of any plan or project which would be likely to have a significant effect on a European site. As a matter of policy, Ramsar sites in England and Wales are accorded the same protection as European sites.
	In regard to environmental assessments, generally, it will fall to local planning authorities in the first instance to consider whether a proposed development requires an environmental impact assessment.

SSSIs

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he plans to take to increase the number of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in favourable condition by 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Joan Ruddock: We are working closely with Natural England, and other stakeholders to achieve our public service agreement target of bringing 95 per cent. of England's SSSI land area into favourable or recovering condition by 2010. Currently, 80.8 per cent. of the SSSI land area is meeting the target and we are confident that the 2010 target, while challenging, remains achievable.

Veterinary Clinical Research

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what funding his Department is providing for veterinary clinical research in 2007-08; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: DEFRA funding for animal health and welfare research in 2007-08 amounts to £39.4 million. The research programme involves more than 250 projects and covers a wide range of topics that includes both laboratory and field research. The programme is not divided into clinical and non-clinical work, and many of the projects include components of both.

Great Crested Newts

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent estimate he has made of the population of great crested newts in England and Leicestershire; and if he will make a statement.

Joan Ruddock: In 2006, it was estimated that there were approximately 66,000 great crested newt breeding ponds in England. As far as we are aware, there has been no specific estimate of the number of great crested newts in Leicestershire. Estimating the number of great crested newts is problematic because of a lack of detailed baseline survey data, and because existing data are fragmented between many recording centres.

Waste

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he next expects to meet representatives of the Waste and Resources Action Programme to discuss waste and climate change.

Joan Ruddock: On 9 January 2008 I met with the chief executive of the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) to discuss its forthcoming programme of work. In addition, officials in my Department regularly meet with colleagues at WRAP to discuss a number of issues.

Warm Front

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will review the effectiveness of the Warm Front.

Phil Woolas: The effectiveness of the Warm Front scheme and the performance of Eaga, the Warm Front scheme manager, are regularly and comprehensively audited by my Department and the independent quality assurors, White Young Green. These checks are intended to ensure that the scheme is being delivered in the best interests of both the Government and Warm Front clients.

Domestic Wastes: Fees and Charges

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the maximum likely annual charge to be levied in respect of domestic waste collection.

Joan Ruddock: Powers provided in the Climate Change Bill allow five local authorities to pilot incentives to encourage household waste minimisation and recycling.
	No maximum charge has been set, although the Government retain a reserved power to create a cap on the level of incentive in the future, should this be necessary.
	Since local authorities will not be able to keep any revenue which they collect through pilot schemes, they have no incentive to raise the level of the payments beyond what will encourage positive behaviour. Experience in other countries where incentive schemes are in operation also suggests that payments do not need to be high to be effective. The research report published in May 2007 shows, for example, that variable charges in the region of £30 to £50 were shown to drive behaviour change overseas.
	Under a waste incentive scheme, it would be up to local authorities to set the level of charges that they believed would create an incentive. However, we will be looking at what level of charges are being proposed when local authorities come forward to run pilots.

Domestic Wastes: Fees and Charges

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether charges for the collection of household waste will be levied on householders occupying flats with communal bins.

Joan Ruddock: Powers provided in the Climate Change Bill allow up to five local authorities to pilot incentives to encourage household waste minimisation and recycling.
	As with many of the powers that councils have in relation to local services, it will be up to individual authorities, working with their communities, to decide which households a pilot scheme should cover. The decision will include whether or not to cover flats, where householders occupy communal bins.
	However, the Government have stressed in our overarching framework that pilot authorities must take account of the needs of potentially disadvantaged groups in devising and running schemes. We will seek to develop and publish guidance in this area to assist authorities in their assessment of these groups.

Domestic Wastes: Fees and Charges

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans he has to conduct a consultation exercise before issuing guidance on charging for the collection of household waste.

Joan Ruddock: Powers provided in the Climate Change Bill allow up to five local authorities to pilot incentives to encourage household waste minimisation and recycling.
	The Government are committed to producing a range of guidance to assist authorities in implementing household incentive schemes. The final timetable for producing and making guidance publicly available for comment has not been finalised, and to some extent will reflect the Bill's progress in Parliament. However, this process will certainly take place before the pilots begin.

Domestic Wastes: Fees and Charges

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the likely effect of charges for household waste collection on families with children under the age of 12 months.

Joan Ruddock: I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave him on 17 January 2008,  Official Report, columns 1393-94W.

Domestic Wastes: Fees and Charges

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  who is responsible for deciding which local authorities charge for domestic waste collection; and whether such decisions will be subject to  (a) parliamentary and  (b) ministerial approval;
	(2)  whether his Department will require those local authorities participating in the pilots for the new charges for the collection of household waste to produce business plans for the pilot.

Joan Ruddock: The Climate Change Bill includes powers for up to five local authorities to pilot incentives for household waste minimisation and recycling. Councils wishing to pilot schemes will be able to come forward with plans to fit local circumstances. These must be approved by the Secretary of State. Decisions about which local authorities will be able to run pilots will not be subject to parliamentary approval. However, all the pilot schemes will have to meet the legislative framework agreed by Parliament.
	We will be working with stakeholders to develop a process for local authorities to come forward with proposals to pilot a waste incentive scheme. We have not yet finalised the details of the application procedure, and we will want to discuss this further with stakeholders. However, we would certainly expect to see a good quality plan included in an application process.

Domestic Wastes: Fees and Charges

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what provision he has made for those who move out of a waste charging pilot area mid-year to be partially recompensed for annual charge payments.

Joan Ruddock: It will be up to local authorities, working with their communities, to decide how to administer charges and rebates under a waste incentive scheme. Payments could be made on an annual basis or more frequently. Where residents move out of the area, having already paid a forward-looking charge, local authorities may wish to recompense them. We will be working with stakeholders to produce guidance for local authorities on this.

Domestic Wastes: Fees and Charges

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the annual average gross administrative cost in cash terms to local authorities arising from charging for the collection of household rubbish.

Joan Ruddock: An Impact Assessment, evaluating the potential costs and benefits of running waste incentive pilot schemes, has been published and is available on the DEFRA website.
	Research carried out for DEFRA presented in the Impact Assessment estimates annualised costs to local authorities of running a waste incentive scheme of between £236,000 to £532,000 based on the introduction of a revenue neutral scheme affecting 50,000 households.
	However, we would expect local authorities to make overall savings from running a waste incentive scheme. This is due to the savings from having less waste to collect, treat and dispose of, which are estimated in the Impact Assessment to be between £0.3 million to £1.4 million per annum, which should be sufficient to outweigh costs.

Domestic Wastes: Fees and Charges

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he plans to take to counter the use of fake bin bags in areas where local authorities operate charges for the collection of domestic waste on the basis of payment by sack.

Joan Ruddock: Where authorities are operating a sack-based waste incentive scheme they may, for example, need to consider the risk of residents purchasing and placing their waste in sacks other than those specified under the scheme.
	Where this happens, local authorities may, if necessary, issue fines or fixed penalty notices to residents. However, effective communications with residents will be a more important way to avoid the use of counterfeit sacks. We will be working with local authorities to provide guidance on effective local communications.
	The Climate Change Bill includes the requirement that local authorities have a fly-tipping prevention strategy for preventing, minimising or otherwise dealing with the unauthorised deposit or disposal of waste.

Domestic Wastes: Fees and Charges

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  whether plans for pilots for charging for the collection of household waste include  (a) the use of radio-frequency identification microchips and  (b) charging according to frequency of collection;
	(2)  if he will conduct a privacy impact assessment on plans to introduce charges for the collection of household waste.

Joan Ruddock: We have no plans to favour one type of collection method over another. It is up to each local authority, working with its community, to decide how its waste incentive scheme should operate. However, we have created powers in the Climate Change Bill to allow pilots to operate in a variety of ways, including but not limited to weight-based schemes using microchips or schemes based on frequency of collection. Authorities will also be able to operate schemes based on bin size or numbers of sacks used to contain waste.
	DEFRA has no plans to conduct a privacy impact assessment on the powers in the Climate Change Bill for up to five local authorities to pilot waste incentive schemes.

Domestic Wastes: Fees and Charges

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what exemptions are planned to operate in schemes to apply charges to the collection of household waste within pilot areas;
	(2)  what steps he plans to take to take account of  (a) benefit recipients,  (b) low-income groups and  (c) other vulnerable people in (i) setting a charging regime for the collection of household waste and (ii) the design of pilot schemes on household waste collection.

Joan Ruddock: Powers provided in the Climate Change Bill allow five local authorities to pilot incentives to encourage household waste minimisation and recycling.
	The exact details of how a scheme operates would be up to the local authorities coming forward to run pilots to decide. However, the Climate Change Bill requires authorities piloting waste incentives schemes to take account of groups which may potentially be disadvantaged unduly by the scheme. Authorities would also have the flexibility to decide which households in their area should be covered by the scheme. Where charges are part of a pilot scheme, only those producing the most non-recycled waste would pay more.
	We will be developing and consulting widely on guidance for local authorities on how they might take account of disadvantaged groups in designing and running a waste incentive scheme.

Domestic Wastes: Fees and Charges

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what meetings  (a) Ministers and  (b) officials in his Department have had with local authorities on the implementation of charges for the collection of household waste.

Joan Ruddock: As is to be expected with any policy development, my officials and I have rightly had a range of meetings with a variety of stakeholders on the powers provided in the Climate Change Bill for up to five local authorities to pilot waste incentive schemes.

Domestic Wastes: Fees and Charges

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the likely effects of charges for the collection of household waste on the amount of waste placed in waste receptacles other than those associated with the property where the waste was generated.

Joan Ruddock: Powers provided in the Climate Change Bill will allow up to five local authorities to pilot non-revenue raising incentive schemes, which are designed to encourage household waste minimisation and recycling.
	We do not consider that the introduction of pilot schemes should lead to increases in fly-tipping or waste crime. There is a range of powers available to local authorities to ensure that waste is dealt with legitimately, and we would expect them to continue to do so should they pilot a waste incentive scheme. The Government encourage authorities to make good use of the powers available to them, taking account of local circumstances and priorities.
	Also, as can be seen in the Climate Change Bill, local authorities will be required to have a fly-tipping prevention strategy. We will be working with stakeholders to develop guidance on what the strategy might include.
	If residents are concerned about neighbours' placing waste in their bins, the local authority may wish to consider offering lockable bins. Evidence from Flanders, which operates a weight-based scheme, suggests that residents do not regard this type of behaviour as a problem; and take-up of lockable bins is very low. However, the pilots will give us the opportunity to monitor this kind of behaviour and assess what strategies are effective in preventing it.

Domestic Wastes: Fees and Charges

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how long he expects the charging for collecting household waste pilots to last; and whether a  (a) minimum and  (b) maximum duration will be set for each pilot.

Joan Ruddock: Powers provided in the Climate Change Bill will allow up to five local authorities to pilot non-revenue raising incentive schemes, which are designed to encourage household waste minimisation and recycling.
	There is no general minimum or maximum duration for the pilots. Schemes will need to be in place for as long as needed in order to gather a solid evidence base to report back to Parliament. Ultimately it will be up to local authorities to come forward with proposals for pilot schemes, and my Department does not want to pre-empt that by specifying now how long each should last. When the Secretary of State designates pilot areas, each designation order will specify a time at which that pilot will end.

Domestic Wastes: Fees and Charges

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what account he has taken of the conclusions of the research commissioned from Eunomia on variable waste-charging in respect of the consideration by his Department of non-charging options in the guidance issued to the waste authorities running the related pilot schemes; and if he will make a statement.

Joan Ruddock: My Department carried out a pilot study in England in 2005-06 for reward-only local authority incentives for household waste management. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a comprehensive range of reward schemes in encouraging householders to reduce, recycle and compost their waste. More information is available on the DEFRA website.
	DEFRA later commissioned research from Eunomia on variable waste charging, which therefore did not have any impact on the earlier reward-only pilot study.

Domestic Wastes: Fees and Charges

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he is taking to take account of the availability of civic amenity sites in  (a) local authorities running household waste reduction pilots and  (b) neighbouring local authorities not running such pilots for the disposal of household waste by residents potentially affected by pilot schemes; and if he will make a statement.

Joan Ruddock: The Climate Change Bill includes powers for up to five local authorities to pilot incentives for household waste minimisation and recycling. Residents will remain able to use their civic amenity site in exactly the same way as now. The pilots will allow us to test any impacts of waste incentives on civic amenity sites within the local authority area and in neighbouring local authority areas.

Domestic Wastes: Fees and Charges

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the  (a) strategy and  (b) timetable is for the (i) start and conclusion, (ii) contiguity, (iii) number, (iv) duration and (v) cross-fertilisation of the pilot schemes for charging for the collection of household waste; and if he will make a statement.

Joan Ruddock: The Climate Change Bill includes powers for up to five local authorities to pilot incentives for household waste minimisation and recycling. Councils wishing to pilot schemes will be able to come forward with plans to fit local circumstances which must be approved by the Secretary of State and follow clear guidelines which have been set out in the legislation.
	There is no timetable for the introduction of the five pilot household waste incentive schemes (including those which have a charging element) announced last year. However, as stated during the Communities and Local Government Committee's hearing on waste on 17 December 2007, the earliest the pilots are likely to start (including those which have a charging element) is April 2009. The exact timing will be subject to the parliamentary process as well as the implementation timetable for each pilot.
	There is no general minimum or maximum duration for the pilots—schemes will need to be in place for as long as needed in order to gather a solid evidence base to report back to Parliament. Ultimately it will be up to local authorities to come forward with proposals for pilot schemes, and my Department does not want to pre-empt that by specifying now how long each should last. When the Secretary of State designates pilot areas, each designation order will specify a time at which that pilot will end. Each of the five pilots could start at different times and run for different lengths of time, according to what is feasible and appropriate for the individual schemes and areas in question.
	The pilots will give us the opportunity to learn about the impacts of waste incentive schemes in an English context, and to gather and share best practice.

Domestic Wastes: Fees and Charges

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans he has for the  (a) timing and  (b) number of further local authorities operating new arrangements for the collection of household waste following the commencement of the initial pilot schemes.

Joan Ruddock: The Climate Change Bill includes powers for up to five local authorities to pilot incentives for household waste minimisation and recycling.
	As can be seen in the Climate Change Bill, after reporting the pilots and if Parliament agrees, the Government will be able to roll out the powers to all waste collection authorities in England to allow them to introduce a waste incentive scheme if they wish.
	We have not set a time for making a decision about rolling out the powers. However, we would only do this once we had gathered sufficiently high quality evidence from the pilots.

Domestic Wastes: Fees and Charges

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much he has allocated to budgetary provision for waste collection authorities to introduce new arrangements for the collection of household waste after the conclusion of the pilot schemes.

Joan Ruddock: The Climate Change Bill includes powers for up to five local authorities to pilot incentives for household waste minimisation and recycling.
	As I said in my written statement to Parliament on 15 November 2007,  Official Report, columns 72-73WS, we will be providing funding of up to £1.5 million per year for three years to support the pilots, including funding for monitoring and evaluation purposes.
	The Government have not allocated any funding at this stage for waste collection authorities to introduce waste incentive schemes, if and when the powers to do so were rolled out to all local authorities in England.
	Research commissioned for DEFRA shows that authorities could make overall savings by introducing waste incentive schemes, as a result of having less waste to dispose of. In any case, it would be up to authorities themselves to decide whether or not they wanted to implement a scheme. Therefore, we would not expect them to need funding from Government.

Domestic Wastes: Fees and Charges

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how new arrangements for the collection of household waste will be applied to domestic properties where occupation is forbidden by law.

Joan Ruddock: The Climate Change Bill includes powers for up to five local authorities to pilot incentives for household waste minimisation and recycling.
	Ultimately, it is up to local authorities to decide which domestic premises would be covered by a waste incentive scheme. However, where domestic properties cannot be occupied, one would not expect household waste to be generated or collected, and it is therefore unlikely that waste incentives would apply.

Domestic Wastes: Meat

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what guidance  (a) his Department and  (b) the Waste Resources Action Programme have issued on the inclusion of uncooked meat in organic household waste collections.

Joan Ruddock: The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), with funding from my Department, has supported a number of local authorities to conduct trials of food waste collections. WRAPROTATE (Recycling and Organics Technical Advisory Team) has provided advice on the design and roll out of the trials. Although no written guidance has been produced, WRAP's advice to local authorities taking part in the trials or seeking advice from ROTATE, is that if meat (cooked or uncooked) is collected as part of a separate food or organic waste collection service, that waste must be treated at a facility that is approved under the Animal By-Products Regulations.

Food Supply

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he is taking to ensure the security of the national food supply.

Hilary Benn: Food security is about ensuring that consumers have access to a stable and adequate supply of food. This requires effective risk management and contingency planning, security of our energy supplies, access to food from a variety of sources, and a strong food chain and infrastructure.

Livestock: Waste Disposal

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will consider whether the prohibition of on-farm burials for livestock should be removed; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: I have no plans to remove the prohibition of on-farm burials for livestock.

Recycling: Finance

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what local authorities have been funded by  (a) his Department and  (b) WRAP to pilot non-financial incentive schemes to promote recycling.

Joan Ruddock: DEFRA carried out a pilot study in England in 2005-06 of local authority incentives for household waste management, backed by £3.1 million. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a comprehensive range of reward-only schemes in encouraging householders to reduce, recycle and compost their waste. More information is available on the DEFRA website.
	The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) has not funded any pilot non-financial incentive schemes to promote recycling.

Rights of Way: Public Transport

Edward Leigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on the contribution of public transport links to the implementation of the right to roam.

Jonathan R Shaw: I have held no discussions with the Secretary of State for Transport on the contribution of public transport links to the implementation of the right to roam.
	Natural England is taking forward the recommendations of the Committee of Public Accounts' 32nd report, which includes considering the provision of more sustainable travel to the natural environment and areas of open countryside. Natural England's aim is to produce a national policy-based action plan by the end of 2008-09.

Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981: Prosecutions

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many prosecutions there have been under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 in each year since 1981, broken down by  (a) offence and  (b) animals affected; and if he will make a statement.

Joan Ruddock: The table provides details of the number of persons proceeded against at magistrates courts for offences under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 in England and Wales for the years 1996 to 2006.
	Data for all of the offences under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 for years prior to 1996 are not held by my Department or the Ministry of Justice.
	The data with which the Ministry of Justice has provided me cannot separately identify the animals affected unless specified in the Act.
	Court proceedings data for 2007 will be available in the autumn of 2008.
	
		
			  Number of persons proceeded against at magistrates courts for offences under the Wildlife Act in England and Wales for the years 1996 to 2006( 1,2,3) 
			Number proceeded against 
			  Statute  Offence Description  1996  1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 S.28P as added by Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 Sch.9 Carrying out or causing to permit to be carried out any operation likely to damage part of an area of special scientific interest subject to notification by Nature Conservancy Council — — — — — — — 2 3 2 1 
			 Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 S.19ZA(8) as added by Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 Sch.12 Falsely pretending, with intent to deceive, to be a wildlife inspector — — — — — — — — — — — 
			 Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 S.14, S.14(1)(A), and S.21 Other indictable offences not specified elsewhere — — — — 1 — — — — — — 
			 Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 Sec 8 Protection of captive birds 2 8 2 1 6 3 2 — 1 2 1 
			 Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 Sec 9 Protection of certain wild animals 6 5 — 3 — 4 4 3 4 7 22 
			 Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 Sec 11 Prohibition of certain methods of killing or taking wild animals 1 2 3 4 — 2 2 1 — — 2 
			 Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 S.28Q as added by Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 Sch.9 Change of owner or occupier in area of special scientific interest failing to comply with requirements — — — — — — — — — — 1 
			 Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 S.19ZB(9)(a, b, c) as added by Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 Sch. 12 Intentionally obstructing a wildlife inspector acting in the exercise of the power conferred by ss(3). Failing without reasonable excuse to make available any specimen in accordance with a requirement under ss(2), (4) or (7) — — — — — — — — — — — 
			 Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 Sec1 Protection of wild birds 33 36 29 28 23 22 19 29 57 28 95 
			 Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 Sec 1 Protection of nests and eggs of wild birds 9 24 19 14 10 31 10 17 18 16 22 
			 Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 Sec 3 Protection of wild birds in sanctuaries — — — — — — — 1 — — — 
			 Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 Sec 3 Protection of the nests and eggs of wild birds in sanctuaries — — — — — — — — — — — 
			 Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 Sec 3 Illegal entry into bird sanctuaries — — — — — 1 — — — — — 
			 Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 Sec 5 Prohibition of certain methods of killing or taking wild birds 8 8 3 7 5 2 4 3 4 5 4 
			 Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 Sec 6 Sale etc. of live or dead wild birds, eggs etc. 4 2 3 2 4 1 — 1 1  2 
			 Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 Sec 17 False statements made for obtaining registration or licence etc. — 1 — 1 — — 2 — 1 2 — 
			 Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 Sec 7 Registration etc. of certain captive birds 3 2 — 2 2 — 2 2 1 — — 
			 (1) These data are on the principal offence basis. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (3) Staffordshire police force were only able to submit sample data for persons proceeded against and convicted in the magistrates courts for the year 2000. Although sufficient to estimate higher orders of data, these data are not robust enough at a detailed level and have been excluded from the table.  Source: Court Proceedings Database held by RDS-OCJR, Ministry of Justice

WORK AND PENSIONS

Child Support

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the percentage change in money outstanding in support payments in cases being dealt with by the Child Support Agency was between  (a) April 2006 and March 2007 and  (b) each month between April 2006 and March 2007.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 13 March 2008:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the chief executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the percentage change in money outstanding in support payments in cases being dealt with by the Child Support Agency was between (a) April 2006 and March 2007 and (b) each month between April 2006 and March 2007.
	Information on the amount of debt outstanding is published in table 22 of the quarterly summary of statistics. This shows the outstanding debt balance for 2005/06 was £3.5 billion, which increased to £3.7 billion for 2006/07 an increase of 5.5 per cent. The agency has been successful at reducing the rate of growth from around £23 million per month during 2004/05 to around £20 million per month during 2005/06 to around £16 million per month during 2006/07.
	The table below provides the monthly percentage change in debt.
	
		
			   Debt (£ billion)  Percentage increase 
			 April 2006 3.51 0.54 
			 May 2006 3.53 0.55 
			 June 2006 3.55 0.49 
			 July 2006 3.57 0.55 
			 August 2006 3.59 0.51 
			 September 2006 3.60 0.38 
			 October 2006 3.62 0.37 
			 November 2006 3.63 0.40 
			 December 2006 3.65 0.43 
			 January 2007 3.67 0.67 
			 February 2007 3.69 0.44 
			 March 2007 3.69 0.02 
		
	
	I hope you find this answer helpful.

Child Support

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many non-resident parents with outstanding debt with the Child Support Agency are living abroad; and what the total amount was of maintenance owed by non-resident parents living abroad in each of the last 10 years for which information is available.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive. He will write to the hon. Member.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 13 March 2008:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many non-resident parents with outstanding debt with the Child Support Agency are living abroad; and what the total amount is of maintenance owed by non-resident parents living abroad in each of the last 10 years for which information is available.
	At the end of November 2007, there were 5,000 cases on the new computer system (CS2) where a non-resident parent with debt was recorded as living outside the UK. The total debt recorded on these cases was £26,143,000.
	No information is available for the number of cases held on the old computer system (CSCS) with outstanding debt where the non-resident parent lives abroad.
	Information on the level of debt where the non-resident parent lives outside the UK is not available prior to February 2007.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.

Child Support

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average length of a repayment schedule agreed with the Child Support Agency is.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is the matter for the chief executive. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 13 March 2008:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average length of a repayment schedule agreed with the Child Support Agency is.
	Robust information on the length of repayments schedules is not held centrally and to obtain it would involve additional examination of all relevant cases. The information required to answer this question cannot therefore be obtained without incurring disproportionate cost.
	The Agency has introduced tougher enforcement measures through its Operational Improvement Plan, launched in April 2006. If the Agency cannot secure immediate repayment in full from the non-resident parent, it aims to reach agreements that will see arrears paid back within two years wherever possible.
	The Agency collected or arranged almost £975m in maintenance in the twelve months to December 2007, of which just under £116m was arrears. Since April 2006, the Agency has collected over £181m of arrears. The Agency aims to collect over £1bn of maintenance including arrears in 2008/9.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.

Children: Maintenance

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the time taken to pay child support to parents with care whose cases are being dealt with clerically and where maintenance has been paid to the agency by the non-resident parent or via his employer as a result of a deduction from earnings order; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is the matter for the chief executive. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested:
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 13 March 2008:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the time taken to pay child support to parents with care whose cases are being dealt with clerically and where maintenance has been paid to the Agency by the non-resident parent or via his employer as a result of a deduction from earnings order; and if he will make a statement.
	Child maintenance applications are processed clerically where, due to technical issues, they cannot be advanced on our computer system. Payments received in these cases are paid out normally one day later than non-clerical cases.
	However, as can be the case with a manual process, there are some occasions when individual payments require additional investigation to ensure that the right money is passed to the right client.
	The Agency takes steps to ensure that the allocation of receipts is strictly controlled, and that delays are kept to an absolute minimum.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.

Children: Maintenance

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of all current Child Support Agency cases have  (a) been subject to maladministration,  (b) had incorrect maintenance calculations and  (c) arrears outstanding; and what proportion of cases are subject to (i)  (a) and  (b) above, (ii)  (a) and  (c) above, (iii)  (b) and  (c) above and (iv) all three conditions above.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 13 March 2008:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what number and proportion of all current Child Support Agency cases have (a) been subject to maladministration (b) had incorrect maintenance calculations and (c) arrears outstanding; and what proportion of cases are subject to (i) (a) and (b) above (ii) (a) and (c) above (iii) (b) and (c) above and (iv) all three conditions above.
	The Agency does not record information on individual cases in such a way as to allow the analysis you have requested to be carried out. Information concerning maladministration, accuracy of maintenance calculations and outstanding arrears comes from several different information flows, therefore we cannot generate robust data concerning the proportion of cases affected by all three. The Agency can, however, provide the following information, which I hope is of use.
	In 2006/07, the Agency made consolatory payments due to maladministration in 15,420 cases.
	Between April 2007 and December 2007, a sample of 4,300 cases was checked for accuracy, of which 87% were found to have an assessment which was accurate to the nearest penny. Information on the accuracy of assessments is routinely published in Table 17 of the Quarterly Summary of Statistics.
	As at November 2007 there were 1,220,200 current Child Support cases with an assessment or calculation. 781,900 of these cases had debt outstanding. This equates to 64 per cent of the current caseload. Most cases accrue debt once an assessment or calculation has been carried out. The effective date of the assessment or calculation is often backdated and debt accrues from the effective date.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.

Departmental Data Protection

Brian H Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many direct complaints from individuals his Department has received regarding the loss of personal data held by his Department.

Stephen Timms: The information requested is not recorded or collected centrally.

Departmental Internet

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effect on users of his Department's services of the increased provision of services on the internet; and what assessment he has made of the level of IT literacy of the users of his Department's services.

Stephen Timms: DWP offers a wide range of services online enabling a large number of our customers to access them in a time and place that is convenient to them.
	We know that many of our customers have access to and regularly use the internet, and that this number is growing. We will continue to develop services which meet their needs and to engage customers in the design and delivery of future online services. Customers who do not use the internet will continue to be able to access the Department's services in the conventional way.

Departmental Manpower

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many full-time equivalent staff were employed in the city of Dundee by his Department in each of the last 10 years.

Anne McGuire: The Department for Work and Pensions was formed in June 2001 bringing together the former Department of Social Security and Employment Service. Information on the number of full-time equivalent staff employed by the Department in the City of Dundee at 31 March each year following the Department's formation is in the following table. The table also includes figures as at 31 January 2008, the latest information available.
	
		
			   Number of FTE( 1) 
			 31 March 2002 631 
			 31 March 2003 917 
			 31 March 2004 1,098 
			 31 March 2005 953 
			 31 March 2006 1,038 
			 31 March 2007 976 
			 31 January 2008 946 
			 (1) Figures shown in table are rounded full-time equivalents

Fuel Poverty: Hampshire

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of levels of fuel poverty of people claiming benefits in Hampshire in the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: I have been asked to reply.
	Regional estimates of fuel poverty are available only for 2003 and are taken from the fuel poverty indicator dataset, available online at:
	http://www.fuelpovertyindicator.org.uk/.
	This shows that there were approximately 32,000 fuel poor households in Hampshire in 2003. A split by the number claiming benefits is not available.

Helping People into Work Strategy

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much he expects his Department to pay to private and voluntary sector organisations to deliver services under the Helping People into Work strategy.

Stephen Timms: Our recently published "Three Year Business Plan 2008-11", which is available in the Library, provides figures for planned expenditure on employment programmes. These figures are in the following table.
	
		
			  Planned expenditure on Department for Work and Pensions employment programmes 
			   £ million 
			 2008-09 1,351 
			 2009-10 1,367 
			 2010-11 1,381 
		
	
	We anticipate that up to 70 per cent. of this expenditure will be contracted to voluntary and private sector organisations. However, as indicated within our recently published commissioning strategy, which is also available in the Library, the exact amounts are yet to be approved by Ministers.

In Work Credit

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects the in-work credit to be fully rolled out.

Stephen Timms: The in-work credit will be rolled out nationally for eligible lone parents on 7 April 2008.

Jobcentre Plus: Telephone Services

Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what targets are set for Jobcentre Plus contact centre telephone operators.

Stephen Timms: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. I have asked her to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Lesley Strathie, dated 13 March 2008:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking what targets are set for Jobcentre Plus Contact Centre telephone operators. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	Jobcentre Plus currently has 31 Contact Centres offering telephony services to our customers. The services delivered are:
	Jobseeker Direct—individuals can get help finding work;
	Employer Direct—where employers can place vacancies with us;
	First Contact—where information is collected to support claims to benefit;
	National Insurance Number—for customers requiring a NINO;
	National Benefit Fraud Hotline—for anyone wishing to report benefit theft; and
	Social Fund—customers can call to apply for a crisis loan.
	Jobcentre Plus Contact Centres contribute to six national Jobcentre Plus targets:
	Job Outcome Target (JOT)—JOT is the measure of our success in helping people in to work. It is based on an automated reporting system, which reports movements into work and off benefit by matching Jobcentre Plus and HMRC data;
	Customer Service Target—This measures Jobcentre Plus' performance in meeting the standards and commitments set out in the organisation's customer and employer charters;
	Monetary Value of Fraud and Error—Contact Centre Directorate has a direct impact on this target by taking appropriate action when fraud is suspected during interaction with the customer and more specifically through the referrals that are generated from calls to the National Benefit Fraud Hotline;
	Average Actual Clearance Times—is measured through the processing of claims within specified average actual clearance times, for Incapacity benefit, Income Support and Jobseeker's Allowance—18 days, 11 days and 12 days respectively;
	Employer Outcome Target—is measured through a survey of employers' perceptions of the service they have received from Jobcentre Plus in terms of whether the vacancy was filled, if it was filled within an acceptable time scale and if customers submitted to the vacancies matched the employers' requirements; and
	Interventions Delivery Target—is a measure of the efficiency of Jobcentre Plus in booking customers in for work-focused interviews within set timescales to provide effective employment support and advice.
	Contact Centres are measured against a range of internal performance indicators which support and underpin the Jobcentre Plus targets. All Contact Centre Customer Service Agents have key work objectives which are put in place to support, contribute and feed into the achievement of the six national Jobcentre Plus targets.

Jobseeker's Allowance

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many jobseeker's allowance (JSA) claimants have been claiming for  (a) three months,  (b) six months,  (c) 12 months,  (d) 18 months,  (e) two years,  (f) three years,  (g) four years and  (h) five years, including any period for which a person may have been on the New Deal but returned to JSA immediately afterwards;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the number of people on job seekers allowance who have spent five or more of the last 10 years on out-of-work benefits;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of the number of people on job seekers allowance who have spent  (a) more than two of the last five years and  (b) more than two of the last three years on out-of-work benefits.

James Plaskitt: The additional information on spells on the new deal is not available except at disproportionate costs. Following is a table showing information on continuous spells of claimant unemployment.
	
		
			  Jobseeker's allowance claimants by continuous duration of claim, Great Britain and United Kingdom: November 2007 
			   Number of claimants: 
			  Duration of claim  GB  UK 
			 0 to less than 3 months 372,050 381,630 
			 3 to less than 6 months 152,785 157,015 
			 6 to less than 12 months 117,390 121,245 
			 12 months to less than 18 months 54,430 56,700 
			 18 months to less than 2 years 26,530 27,685 
			 2 years to less than 3 years 18,930 19,430 
			 3 years to less than 4 years 7,790 8,000 
			 4 years to less than 5 years 3,870 3,975 
			 5 years and over 6,785 7,115 
			  Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest five. 2. Figures are based on computer held cases only.  Source: NOMIS 
		
	
	Of those claimants whose continuous claim exceeds two years about half of the group are made up of those aged 50 plus. Up until April 2007 our customers aged 50 plus were not required to participate in the mandatory intensive activity period when on new deal 25 plus and so a stock of two year plus has built up. We now mandate all our customers to take part, and they will take up training allowances during any activity periods.
	A quarter of the group are those who have entered employment zones (EZs). Unlike the mandatory JSA new deals, customers participating in employment zones are not required to participate in full time activity and so need not break the JSA claim. EZ customers remain on JSA throughout the programme either until they leave benefit or they return to the standard JSA regime. It is therefore possible that some of the very hardest to help (despite significant intervention) remain unemployed beyond two years.
	A smaller group (about 8,000) are those that have been exempted from taking part in new deal and the mandatory option or intensive activity period (this stage would ordinarily take them from JSA on to a training allowance). Customers are exempted at the discretion of an adviser manager for reasons such as being a potentially violent customer, suffering from a serious drink or drug addiction, have a drink or drug addiction which is improving and progress to work provision is underway or those with mental health issues. The number of exclusions on new deal has increased over recent years. Following the work of a Jobcentre Plus led new deal task and finish group in 2007, the number and reason for exclusions is being more closely monitored.
	In regard to all claimants referred to we expect that a proportion of the cases are due to administrative error or a delay in a jobseeker entering provision promptly (for which sanctions can be applied). Jobcentre Plus is continually looking at ways of how we can reduce such error and has made significant in roads to reduce the number of 'overstayers' ie those delaying their progress on new deal, down from 17 per cent. in June 2006, to now less than 5 per cent.
	The GP response paper Ready for Work (December 2007) announced the Government's plans for significant changes in the way we help and support our customers back into work:
	A stepped programme of support will be available for all customers from day one.
	The successful new deal gateway will be refreshed and introduced for all customers from six months of a claim (bringing that support forward by 12 months for those 25 and over).
	All those reaching 12 months unemployment will enter the flexible new deal, receiving intensive support from a specialist provider. During this time with a provider we expect all customers will enter work or participate in some form of full time activity increasing the chances of work.
	A high proportion moving into work will reduce the numbers who might otherwise have reached two years. Entering other full time activity will act to prevent the remainder from crossing the two year threshold.

Jobseeker's Allowance

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the longest time is a person on jobseekers allowance has spent on holiday.

Stephen Timms: This information is not available.

National Insurance

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many national insurance numbers were issued to  (a) UK,  (b) EU and  (c) non-EU citizens between (i) 1 April 2002 and 31 December 2003 and (ii) 1 January 2004 and the most recent date for which figures are available; and which 10 nationalities received the most national insurance numbers in each period.

Stephen Timms: The information is not available in the format requested.
	The available information is provided as follows:
	 National insurance number registrations to UK citizens
	The majority of UK nationals are registered with national insurance numbers (NINOs) as part of the juvenile registration process just prior to the age of 16. Some UK nationals apply for a NINO as adults and would go through the adult NINO allocation process. The data are not held in a format which allows us to extract a figure for UK nationals.
	The number of foreign nationals registered with NINOs does not indicate either the number of migrants coming to the UK or the number of foreign nationals in employment. The national insurance figures count all foreign nationals, including those who stay only briefly. Office for National Statistics immigration statistics define a migrant as someone who stays in the UK for at least a year. Equally, ONS figures are not restricted to arrivals allocated a NINO, for example, non-working students, and family members not requiring a national insurance number.
	Figures for the juvenile registration process are as follows:
	
		
			  Period  Juvenile registration volumes (thousand) 
			 2003-04 753.6 
			 2004-05 743.2 
			 2005-06 722.9 
			 2006-07 772.1 
			  Notes: 1. Source data is Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs national insurance recording system (NIRS2) management information. 2. Reporting period for juvenile registration is 1 April to 31 March. 3. For the majority of juveniles the registration process takes place just prior to the 16th birthday. However, some juveniles may initially miss out on this process, but can be recorded as part of this process until the age of 19. 4. There may be a small number of young foreign nationals who obtain a national insurance number through the juvenile registration process. These will not appear in the foreign nationals totals for adult national insurance number registrations. However, the majority of juvenile registrations are for UK nationals. 
		
	
	 Adult national insurance number registrations to EU and non-EU citizens
	The numbers in the following table are sourced from figures already in the public domain. They are published via DWP's National Statistics First Release "National Insurance Number Allocations to Overseas Nationals entering the UK 2006/07".
	
		
			  Thousand 
			   2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 EU 98.6 113.6 200.5 374.3 424.9 
			 Non-EU 249.8 256.4 238.7 287.6 288.1 
			  Notes: 1. Source data is the 100 per cent DWP Extract from the National Insurance Recording System. 2. Annual periods relate to 6 April to 5 April. 3. Figures are rounded to the nearest 100. Some additional disclosure control has been applied. Totals may not sum due to rounding method used. 4. In order to produce a consistent time series, nationality is classified as EU or non-EU according to the country's status in 2006-07. 5. These figures do not include a small number of people (historically between 500 and 800 per year) who are recorded as foreign nationals but whose nationality is unknown. 
		
	
	The top 10 nationalities (excluding UK nationals) with the most adult national insurance number registrations for the latest four years available (2003-04 to 2006-07) are published in table 3 on page 16 of the report "National Insurance Number Allocations to Overseas Nationals entering the UK (previously Migrant Workers Statistics) 2007: Full Report" on the Department's website at:
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/niall/niall_report.pdf.

National Insurance

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which 10 nationalities hold the greatest number of UK national insurance numbers ranked in order of numbers held; how many numbers are held in each case; and what percentage each figure is of the total number of national insurance registrations.

Stephen Timms: Information on the totality of national insurance numbers held is not available broken down by nationality.
	The top 10 nationalities (excluding UK nationals) with the most adult national insurance number registrations for the latest year available (2006-2007) are published in table three on page 16 of the report "National Insurance Number Allocations to Overseas Nationals entering the UK (previously Migrant Workers Statistics) 2007: Full Report" on the Department's website at:
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/niall/niall_report.pdf.
	The total number of national insurance numbers registered in 2006-2007 was 1,539,000. This includes all adult registrations and those registered via the juvenile registration process just prior to age 16. There may be a small number of young foreign nationals who obtain a national insurance number through the juvenile registration process, and these will not appear in the foreign nationals total for adult national insurance number registrations. However, the majority of the juvenile registrations are for UK nationals.
	It is not possible to provide a direct comparison between the top 10 nationality figures and the total number of national insurance numbers registered because the former figures relate only to adults and some foreign nationals will obtain a national insurance number through the juvenile registration process, for which no nationality breakdown is available. Also, the data for adult foreign nationals and total NINO registrations are derived in different ways and captured over different periods.
	The number of foreign nationals registered with NINOs does not indicate either the number of migrants coming to the UK or the number of foreign nationals in employment. The national insurance figures count all foreign nationals, including those who stay only briefly. ONS immigration statistics define a migrant as someone who stays in the UK for at least a year. Equally, ONS figures are not restricted to arrivals allocated a NINO, for example, non-working students, and family members not requiring a national insurance number.

National Insurance

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the change was in the number of national insurance registrations issued to  (a) UK citizens and  (b) foreign citizens in each year since 2002; and what the percentage change was in each period in each category.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 12 November 2007
	The information is not available in the format requested.
	The available information is provided as follows:
	 National insurance number registrations to UK citizens
	The majority of UK nationals are registered with national insurance numbers (NINOs) as part of the juvenile registration process just prior to the age of 16. Some UK nationals apply for a NINO as adults and would go through the adult NINO allocation process. The data are not held in a format which allows us to extract a figure for UK nationals.
	The number of foreign nationals registered with NINOs does not indicate either the number of migrants coming to the UK or the number of foreign nationals in employment. The national insurance figures count all foreign nationals, including those who stay only briefly. Office for National Statistics immigration statistics define a migrant as someone who stays in the UK for at least a year. Equally, ONS figures are not restricted to arrivals allocated a NINO, for example, non-working students, and family members not requiring a national insurance number.
	Figures for the juvenile registration process are in the following table:
	
		
			  Period  Juvenile registration volumes (thousand)  Percentage change 
			 2003-04 753.6 — 
			 2004-05 743.2 -1 .4 
			 2005-06 722.9 -2.7 
			 2006-07 772.1 +6.8 
			  Notes: 1. Source data is Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs national insurance recording system (NIRS2) management information. 2. Reporting period for juvenile registration is 1 April to 31 March. 3. For the majority of juveniles the registration process takes place just prior to the 16 birthday. However, some juveniles may initially miss out on this process, but can be recorded as part of this process until the age of 19. 4. There may be a small number of young foreign nationals who obtain a national insurance number through the juvenile registration process. These will not appear in the foreign nationals total for adult national insurance number registrations. However, the majority of juvenile registrations are for UK nationals. 
		
	
	 Adult national insurance number re gistrations to foreign citizens
	Figures for national insurance numbers registered to foreign nationals under the adult national insurance number process are in the following table. The numbers in the table are sourced from figures already in the public domain. They are published via DWP's National Statistics First Release 'National Insurance Number Allocations to Overseas Nationals entering the UK 2006/07'.
	
		
			  Period  Foreign nationals registration volumes (thousand)  Percentage change 
			 2002-03 349.2 — 
			 2003-04 370.7 +6.2 
			 2004-05 439.7 +18.6 
			 2005-06 662.4 +50.6 
			 2006-07 713.5 +7.7 
			  Notes: 1. Source data is the 100 per cent DWP extract from the National Insurance Recording system. 2. Annual periods relate to 6 April to 5 April. 3. Figures are rounded to the nearest 100. Some additional disclosure control has been applied. Totals may not sum due to rounding method used.

National Insurance: Foreigners

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many national insurance numbers were held by non-UK citizens in  (a) 1997,  (b) 2002 and  (c) the most recent year for which figures are available; and what each figure was as a percentage of total national insurance registrations.

Stephen Timms: Information on the totality of national insurance numbers held is not available broken down by nationality.
	The number of new national insurance number registrations for adult foreign nationals by year of registration for 2002-03 and 2006-07 is published in Table 2 on page 16 of the report "National Insurance Number Allocations to Overseas Nationals entering the UK (previously Migrant Workers Statistics) 2007: Full Report" on the Department's website at:
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/niall/niall_report.pdf.
	No figures are available for 1997
	The total number of national insurance numbers registered in 2006-07 was 1,539,000. This includes all adult registrations and those registered via the juvenile registration process just prior to age 16.
	It is not possible to provide a direct comparison between the number of national insurance numbers registered to foreign nationals and the total number of national insurance numbers registered because some foreign nationals will obtain a national insurance number through the juvenile registration process and no numbers are available for this. Also, the data for adult foreign nationals and total NINO registrations are derived in different ways and captured over different periods.
	The number of foreign nationals registered with NINOs does not indicate either the number of migrants coming to the UK or the number of foreign nationals in employment. The national insurance figures count all foreign nationals, including those who stay only briefly. Office for National Statistics immigration statistics define a migrant as someone who stays in the UK for at least a year. Equally, ONS figures are not restricted to arrivals allocated a NINO, for example, non-working students, and family members not requiring a national insurance number.

Partnership Agreement

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will publish the partnership agreement between his Department and Citizens Advice signed in September 2007.

Anne McGuire: The partnership agreement is between Jobcentre Plus and Citizens Advice; a copy has been placed in the Library.

Social Security Benefits

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of households receiving benefits of in excess of  (a) £30,000 and  (b) £25,000 in the most recent year for which figures are available.

James Plaskitt: It is estimated that there are around 20,000 households receiving either in-work or out-of-work benefits in excess of £30,000 per annum.
	It is estimated that there are around 70,000 households receiving either in-work or out-of-work benefits in excess of £25,000 per annum.
	 Source:
	Family Resources Survey, United Kingdom 2005-06

Social Security Benefits: Fraud

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will publish the findings of the voice risk analysis pilot scheme run by Harrow council in relation to claims for  (a) housing and  (b) council tax benefit.

James Plaskitt: Seven local authority sites are currently testing voice risk analysis technology through pilots that are due to finish at the end of March 2008. The results from the local authorities—including Harrow—will be collated and analysed with a view to making the findings available in the summer.

Unemployment

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what steps a jobseeker is required to take to provide proof that he or she is actively seeking work whilst on holiday;
	(2)  what the maximum time is that someone on jobseekers allowance may spend on holiday each year;
	(3)  what requirements there are for a person on jobseeker's allowance on holiday to register with their local jobcentre whilst on holiday if it is different from their local jobcentre whilst at their normal residential address.

Stephen Timms: Jobseekers are allowed to go on holiday in Great Britain for two weeks in a 12-month period without having to actively seek work. As they do not need look for work during this period no proof of jobsearch is required. There is also no requirement for the jobseeker to register with the Jobcentre local to their holiday residence while away.
	The jobseeker must remain within Great Britain, must be available for work during their absence and must provide information to Jobcentre Plus before leaving home concerning the duration of the absence and details of how they may be contacted while away. They must also be willing and able to return home immediately to take up a job if one is offered.
	A jobseeker may take longer and more frequent holidays in a 12-month period if they wish. However, if a jobseeker takes more than two weeks holiday in a 12- month period, they will have to continue to demonstrate that they are available for and actively seeking work and to attend the Jobcentre local to their holiday residence at least fortnightly.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Bridging Newcastle Gateshead: Finance

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much the Government have contributed through Bridging Newcastle Gateshead to costs for  (a) the strategic housing staff capacity of the city of Newcastle and  (b) (i) the EDAW consultancy and (ii) other consultancy costs incurred in (A) the preparation of the north central plan and (B) in relation to the Benwell Scotswood plan.

Iain Wright: The Bridging Newcastle Gateshead (BNG) contribution to work on strategic housing capacity in Newcastle city council, by providing financial contributions for the preparation of area action plans, is projected to be £396,566 in the year up to 31 March 2008.
	BNG have contributed £200,000 towards the cost of the north central plan that has been led by consultants. This amount is the overall budget and includes costs other than consultancies fees such as the hiring of venues to undertake public consultation.
	In relation to the Benwell Scotswood plan, BNG have contributed £227,000 towards the cost of this project that has been led by EDAW. This amount is the overall budget and includes costs other than consultancies fees such as the hiring of venues to undertake public consultation.

Casinos: Manchester

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will allocate funding to Manchester city council for costs incurred in relation to preparation for the regional casino.

John Healey: The decision to apply to the casino advisory panel was a matter for the local authorities concerned.

Council Housing: Overcrowding

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent assessment her Department and its agencies have made of the level of overcrowding in social housing; and what statistical measures are used to quantify that level.

Iain Wright: Levels of overcrowding are measured through the Survey of English Housing and assessed against the "bedroom standard", based on the ages and composition of a household. The 'Survey of English Housing Preliminary Results: 2006-07' were published on 18 December 2007
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/sehprelimresults0607
	Table 9 indicates that the rate of overcrowding in the social rented sector is 5.8 per cent. across England.
	In December, the Department published 'Tackling overcrowding in England: an action plan' to assist local authorities in developing their own strategies to tackle overcrowding.

Home Information Packs

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar of 28 January 2008,  Official Report, column 117W, on ipsos MORI, if she will place in the Library a copy of the research on post implementation of home information packs;
	(2)  pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar of 15 January 2008,  Official Report, column 781, to the hon. Member for Welwyn, Hatfield, on home information packs, whether Ipsos MORI has provided an interim report or initial conclusions to her Department.

Caroline Flint: The home information pack area trials—research report was published on 6 March 2008. Copies are available in Library of the House.

Home Information Packs

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar of 29 January 2008,  Official Report, column 230W, on home information packs, whether the unique property reference number (UPRN) used to identify a property in a home condition report is the same UPRN used to identify a property by  (a) the Valuation Office Agency and  (b) the National and Land Property Gazetteer.

Caroline Flint: The Valuation Office Agency and National Land and Property Gazetteer have their own unique reference property numbers, which are not the same as those generated by the home information pack register.

Home Information Packs

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many complaints the home information pack redress scheme has received since it was established; how many of these have been upheld; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: Communities and Local Government does not hold data on the number of complaints made to home information pack redress schemes. Such data will be included in each scheme's annual report.

Home Information Packs

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many estate agents have been fined for non-compliance with the home information pack regulations since the packs became mandatory; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: Local authority weights and measures authorities and the Office of Fair Trading are responsible for enforcing the home information pack duties through s.166 and s.175 of the Housing Act 2004. The OFT has not received notice of any penalty charges having been served.

Home Information Packs: Eco-Towns

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether home information packs will apply to the sale of houses built in eco-towns.

Caroline Flint: Yes.

Housing: Low Incomes

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps she is taking to monitor the proportion of affordable housing to be delivered on sites which have recently been granted planning permission by local authorities bidding to be housing growth points; and if she will ensure that account is taken of this proportion when decisions are made on the bids.

Iain Wright: holding answer 7 March 2008
	Data for sites granted planning permission for affordable housing are not collected centrally although statistics which show the numbers of affordable dwellings built are available. Affordability is a key emerging priority for many areas and we would expect this to inform local authority proposals for growth point status.

Housing: Low Incomes

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Welwyn Hatfield, of 31 January 2008,  Official Report, column 583W, on housing: low incomes, what the current average annual percentage rate (APR) equivalent interest rate on the non-shared equity element of the Yorkshire Building Society Expanded Open Market Homebuy scheme is; whether the APR varies according to the size of the borrower's deposit; and whether the APR is variable, capped or fixed;
	(2)  whether there is a  (a) mortgage indemnity guarantee and  (b) arrangement fee charged on the Yorkshire Building Society Expanded Open Market Homebuy scheme;
	(3)  on what multiple of  (a) a single person's income and  (b) a couple's discount, the maximum amount that may be lent is calculated under the Yorkshire Building Society Expanded Open Market Homebuy scheme;
	(4)  how much the early redemption penalty for the Yorkshire Building Society Expanded Open Market Homebuy scheme is; and in what circumstances the penalty applies.

Caroline Flint: The questions do not relate to our low cost home ownership policy. They are in relation to loans offered by a mortgage lender.
	The Yorkshire Building Society should be contacted for the detailed information requested.

Housing: Low Incomes

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Welwyn Hatfield, of 31 January 2008,  Official Report, column 583W, on housing: low incomes, what  (a) minimum borrowers' deposit is required and (b) maximum loan to value is allowed under the Yorkshire Building Society Expanded Open Market Homebuy scheme.

Caroline Flint: No borrower's deposit is required under the Yorkshire Building Society Expanded Open Market Homebuy scheme. The maximum loan to value allowed under the scheme is 100 per cent.

Housing: Low Incomes

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many completed purchases there have been under the Open Market Homebuy Government Loan Only scheme to date.

Caroline Flint: Since the Open Market HomeBuy scheme was launched in April 2006, we have helped over 4,600 householders into home ownership.
	Since July 2007, there have been 861 completed sales under the Open Market HomeBuy Government Loan Only scheme, to the end of February 2008.

Housing: Low Incomes

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the maximum loan to value ratio is, including the shared equity borrowing permitted, in  (a) Open Market Homebuy and  (b) Extended Open Market Homebuy.

Caroline Flint: The maximum loan to value ratio permitted under all the Open Market HomeBuy products, including the shared equity element, is 100 per cent.

Housing: Standards

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much is expected to be spent on bringing homes up to the decent homes standard in the next three years.

Iain Wright: It is for local authorities and registered social landlords to determine what they spend on making homes decent using all the resources available to them. The Government make available funding for capital investment purposes.
	The resources made available for the next three years from the comprehensive spending review 2007 that local authorities can use to deliver decent homes are in the following table. Final allocations for each year have yet to be determined.
	
		
			   Funding 
			 Gap funding for RSLs to support stock transfer 240 million 
			 ALMO supported capital expenditure 2.4 billion 
			 Regional housing pot: local authority improvements to, and regeneration of, existing stock (both local authority owned and in the private sector) 2 billion 
		
	
	In addition local authorities will make use of the allowances for major repairs that are provided through the annual housing revenue account subsidy determination. In 2008-09 this is 1,317 million.
	Local authorities have powers to assist vulnerable households living in the very worst conditions by developing flexible approaches to respond to locally specific conditions, and to find ways to make their resources go further through the use of loans and equity release schemes.

Housing: Sustainable Development

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what proportion of new homes built since 2003 meet the Government's targets for sustainability on  (a) energy use and  (b) water use.

Iain Wright: Building Control is a devolved service undertaken by local authorities and other building control bodies. Independent data on the levels of compliance achieved by individual homes that have been signed off by building control bodies is not kept centrally and it is not therefore possible to verify the absolute levels of compliance.
	In relation to regulatory requirements on energy use, an implementation review of the 2006 amendments to part L of the building regulations will be undertaken shortly and will help to inform future amendments to the building regulations in this respect.
	There are currently no requirements in building regulations for water efficiency, but the Government have committed to bringing new requirements into force for new homes during 2009. In December 2006, CLG and DEFRA issued a consultation on introducing minimum requirements for water efficiency in new buildings. The consultation gave a strong endorsement for the adoption of a performance standard for new homes to be administered through the building regulations. The standard will be set at 125 litres per person per day.
	The code for sustainable homes sets out standards, above the regulatory minimum, for the sustainability of new homes including energy and water. The code provides a means for house builders to differentiate their products, however, there is no national obligation for privately funded developments to be built to the code. Publicly funded homes must be built to code level 3. There are currently 395 registered developments that are building to the code, covering around 30,000 homes.

Local Government: Reorganisation

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what further plans her Department has for allowing further areas where two-tier local authorities exist to convert to unitary authorities.

John Healey: We have no plans for any further programme of invitations to councils to submit unitary proposals. However, we recognise that in some specific cases in the future there might be areas where circumstances are such as to warrant a focused and targeted invitation to the councils concerned, and the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 allows for this.

Local Strategic Partnerships: Chorley

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  if she will meet Chorley borough council and the hon. Member for Chorley to discuss the local strategic partnership;
	(2)  if she will take steps to ensure that  (a) Chorley borough council and  (b) the Chorley local strategic partnership consults the hon. Member for Chorley on future activities of the local strategic partnership.

John Healey: I have asked my officials to meet with my hon. Friend to discuss Chorley's local strategic partnership (LSP) and its contribution to the successful targeting and co-ordination of services.
	The Government's consultation on the future of LSPs (2005-06) emphasised the key role hon. Members could play in LSPs. It stated that:
	'MPs have substantial democratic legitimacy in the local area and the ability to bring a wide range of partners to the table to produce genuinely collaborative working. There is no set way to do this and current practice varies between the MP chairing the LSP to receiving papers and attending an annual event. Each area will need to consider the most appropriate mechanism for them'.

London Development Agency

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Audit Commission's scrutiny of  (a) the London Development Agency and  (b) the Greater London Authority.

John Healey: It is the responsibility of the district auditor to consider whether financial and accounting matters relating to the GLA and LDA need investigation and action.

Non-Domestic Rates: Public Lavatories

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Meriden of 5 December 2005,  Official Report, column 963W, how many public conveniences were registered for business rates by the Valuation Office Agency in each Government region at the most recent date for which figures are available.

John Healey: As at 30 January 2008, there were 5,084 public conveniences included in the 2005 rating lists for England and Wales.
	
		
			  Government region  Number of public conveniences 
			 East Midlands 367 
			 East of England 530 
			 London 385 
			 North East 217 
			 North West 457 
			 South East 741 
			 South West 926 
			 West Midlands 381 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 424 
			 Wales 656 
			 Total 5,084 
		
	
	The figures do not include certain public conveniences, for instance those that are ancillary to public parks.

Planning Permission: Housing

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps she is taking to monitor the proportion of affordable housing planned for sites recently granted planning permission by local authorities bidding to be housing growth points; and if she will ensure that account is taken of this proportion when decisions are made on the bids.

Iain Wright: Data for sites granted planning permission for affordable housing are not collected centrally although statistics which show the numbers of affordable dwellings built are available. Affordability is a key emerging priority for many areas and we would expect this to inform local authority proposals for growth point status.

Prisons: Construction

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what planning policy  (a) statements and  (b) guidance have been issued by her Department and its predecessors on the construction of new prisons since May 1997.

Iain Wright: Since May 1997, three extant publications have specifically referred to prison development. These are:
	Circular 03/98 (DETR): 'Planning for Future Prison Development' includes the effect on local and unitary development plans, site selection, security and economic and other benefits.
	Circular 02/06 (Communities and Local Government): 'Crown Application of the Planning Acts' describes how the planning Acts apply to the Crown with the ending of Crown immunity in the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. Prisons are mentioned as part of the operational land of the Home Office (now Ministry of Justice) in the context of new Crown permitted development rights.
	Planning Policy Statement 25: 'Development and Flood Risk' (Communities and Local Government), published in 2006. This classes prisons as more vulnerable to flood risk, which means that the PPS25 exception test should be applied if a prison is essential in an area of high flood risk to ensure it is safe.
	Although prison development is not specifically mentioned elsewhere, since the removal of Crown immunity in 2006, prison development should be considered in the context of the national planning policy framework.

Private Sector: Thames Gateway

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what methods she plans to use in future to assess the efficacy of private sector investment in the Thames Gateway area; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The Government are not in a position to directly regulate private sector investment in the Thames Gateway except where the investment is part of a project being supported by the public sector. In these cases we would expect projects to have a clear fit with the Thames Gateway strategy and priorities in the Thames Gateway delivery plan, and be subject to a proper investment appraisal in line with the Treasury Green Book. Where appropriate, private sector development is subject to the normal land use planning regime.

Regional Planning and Development: Thames Gateway

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what progress has been made on the Guarantee of Assured Progression in respect of further education in the Pan Gateway Skills Plan in the Thames Gateway area; if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: holding answer 6 March 2008
	 All universities and colleges in the Thames Gateway are committed to participation in the Gateway Guarantee of Assured Progression scheme. We expect to launch across Departments the second stage of a feasibility study this spring which will look at progression from level 2 to level 3.
	Our aim is that every course in the Thames Gateway, particularly but not exclusively at vocational level 3, will lead directly to a place on an appropriate level 4 course.
	Already a number of these progression agreements exist formally and informally but using Lifelong Learning Networks and other relevant partner networks our aim is to roll out a series of comprehensive transparent progression pathway options for every student achieving level 2 and above.

Regional Planning and Development: Thames Gateway

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will attend future meetings of the Thames Gateway parliamentary group; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: holding answer 6 March 2008
	 In my new role as Minister with responsibility for Thames Gateway I am looking forward to engaging with hon. Members who have constituencies within the Thames Gateway boundary. This will include attendance at future meetings of the Thames Gateway parliamentary group.

Rental Rights: Leasehold

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will provide leaseholders whose freehold landlord is a public authority with the same leasehold rights as those with private sector landlords.

Iain Wright: Leaseholders have a wide range of rights and protections that have been developed over the last 40 years. Significant improvements have been made to these rights through the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002. The majority of the rights and protections apply equally to leaseholders with social sector landlords as to those with private sector landlords. However, there are some necessary exceptions and variations.
	Social sector landlords are primarily responsible for the provision of social housing. Their systems and arrangements are set up in order to achieve this and to comply with specific legislation in that regard, while recognising their obligations to leaseholders. This is one of the many factors that need to be taken into account when considering how best to frame leaseholder rights so that they can effectively deliver the benefits intended to all concerned. This can mean that it will not always be appropriate or helpful to make identical provisions for social sector and private sector leaseholders in order to provide them with similar rights and protections.

Thames Gateway Development Corporation Planning Committee: Public Appointments

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what process is followed for the appointment of members of the London Thames Gateway Development Corporation Planning Committee; and what criteria are used to appoint members.

Caroline Flint: The London Thames Gateway Development Corporation Planning Committee currently consists of nine members. Seven of those members are members of the corporation's board, appointed by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. They were appointed to the planning committee by the chairman of the corporation.
	Two members of the planning committee are co-opted and are not members of the corporation's board. They were appointed by the chairman of the board with the consent of the Secretary of State, following an appointment process involving advertising the position, short listing and interviews.
	The criteria used for the interviews were:
	Motivation/understanding the challenges/opportunities of the role;
	Committee contribution/adding value;
	Technical/professional contribution.

Working Neighbourhoods Fund

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar of 31 January 2008,  Official Report, column 592W, on the Working Neighbourhoods Fund, which local authorities which were in receipt of  (a) either Deprived Areas Funding or Neighbourhood Renewal Funding and  (b) both types of funding will receive Working Neighbourhood Funding but at a lower cash level per year.

John Healey: The Neighbourhood Renewal Fund was set up as a time limited fund and was provided to deliver a different set of objectives from those to be delivered by the new Working Neighbourhoods Fund. The following list of local authorities were in receipt of either Deprived Areas Funding or Neighbourhood Renewal Funding or both types of funding, and will receive Working Neighbourhoods Fund at a lower cash level in 2008-09 than their 2007-08 allocation.
	Newham
	Manchester
	Birmingham
	Tower Hamlets
	Hackney
	Southwark
	Nottingham
	Liverpool
	Bradford
	Sandwell
	Islington
	Lambeth
	Haringey
	Kingston upon Hull
	Middlesbrough
	Knowsley
	Greenwich
	Sheffield
	Waltham Forest
	Leicester
	Salford
	South Tyneside
	Doncaster
	North East Lincolnshire
	Newcastle upon Tyne
	Halton
	Rochdale
	Walsall
	Brent
	Oldham
	Barking and Dagenham
	Wolverhampton
	Easington
	Wear Valley
	Gateshead
	Stockton-on-Tees
	Bolton
	Hartlepool
	Blackburn with Darwen
	Derwentside
	St. Helens
	Preston
	Burnley
	Bolsover

Working Neighbourhoods Fund: Leeds

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will meet hon. Members representing constituencies in the Leeds city council area to discuss working neighbourhood funding allocations for 2008-09; and if she will make a statement.

John Healey: I have already discussed the matter with hon. Members representing constituencies in the Leeds city council area and offered to meet them to discuss both the working neighbourhoods fund methodology and how the funding going into Leeds in the next three years can be used to improve jobs and skills opportunities for people living in the most deprived neighbourhoods in the city.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

Civil Service Appeal Board

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many and what percentage of appeals by employees of  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies were (i) heard and (ii) upheld by the civil service appeal board in each of the last 10 years; how much was awarded in compensation by the board to each successful appellant in each year; what the reason was for each compensation award; how many appellants were reinstated by the board in each year; and what the reason was for each (A) dismissal and (B) reinstatement.

Tom Watson: Statistics on numbers of appeals heard in individual Departments and agencies for each of the last 10 years can be found in appendix 2 of each of the civil service appeal board's annual reports. These are available on the board's website at:
	http://www.civilserviceappealboard.gov.uk
	Copies are also available in the Library of the House.
	The Cabinet Office does not centrally record information on appeal cases, and so the information requested on the outcome of the appeal, compensation awards or cases of reinstatement could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Official Residences

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 
	(1)  what guidance has been issued on the use of official residences by former Ministers of the Crown; and what liability such individuals have for meeting associated costs;
	(2)  what guidance his Department has issued on the council tax liabilities of Ministers in official residences in the last 12 months.

Tom Watson: holding answer 10 March 2008
	The ministerial code provides guidance on the use of official residences. Arrangements are in place to ensure that Ministers who are allocated official residences are provided with guidance on their council tax liability. In addition, Ministers who are allocated official residences pay tax on ancillary services associated with the residences, which are provided for use in the private part of the accommodation and which constitute a taxable benefit in kind.

Departmental Official Visits

David Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the cost was of overnight accommodation for  (a) the Prime Minister and  (b) (i) civil servants and (ii) special advisers in the Prime Minister's Office staying overnight in (A) mainland Great Britain, (B) Northern Ireland, (C) the Republic of Ireland and (D) other countries in the last 12 months.

Tom Watson: The Prime Minister's Office is an integral part of the Cabinet Office.
	The information requested is not held centrally and is therefore available only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Older Workers

David Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many people over the age of 55 have been recruited by the Cabinet Office in each of the last three years.

Tom Watson: The numbers of staff, over the age of 55, that have been recruited by the Cabinet Office in each of the last three financial years are as follows:
	
		
			  Financial year  Number of staff 
			 2007-08 10 
			 2006-07 9 
			 2005-06 6

Departmental Pensions

David Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many and what percentage of staff in his Department were making additional voluntary contributions to their pensions in each of the last two years.

Tom Watson: In the Cabinet Office, 138 members of staff (9 per cent. of the total number of staff on the Cabinet Office payroll) were making additional voluntary pension contributions through deductions from their pay in February 2007. This has increased to 176 members of staff (13 per cent. of the total number of staff on the Cabinet Office payroll) who were making additional voluntary pension contributions through deductions from their pay in February 2008.

Fairtrade Initiative

Michael Moore: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what his Department's policy is on the use of fair trade goods  (a) in staff catering facilities and  (b) at official departmental functions and meetings; and if he will make a statement.

Tom Watson: We have no specific policy on purchasing fairtrade products. However, we actively encourage our total facilities management provider to purchase fairtrade products for all retail sale and hospitality purposes, where commercially and practically viable.

Industrial Health and Safety

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many reports of incidents involving those working in  (a) the Cabinet Office and  (b) 10 Downing street were made under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 in (i) 2005-06, (ii) 2006-07 and (iii) 2007-08 to date.

Tom Watson: The information requested is as follows.
	
		
			   Cabinet Office  10 Downing street 
			 April 2005 to March 2006 5 0 
			 April 2006 to March 2007 1 1 
			 April 2007 to date 1 0 
		
	
	This information is provided on a financial year, i.e. April to March, and not on a calendar basis, i.e. January to December.

Joint Ministerial Committee on Devolution

Danny Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when the Joint Ministerial Committee on Devolution last met; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Miliband: In 2001, the UK Government and the three devolved administrations agreed to participate in a Joint Ministerial Committee (JMC) consisting of UK Government, Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland Ministers.
	It is established practice not to disclose the details, including the dates, of Cabinet Committees.

Official Residences: Admiralty House

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 
	(1)  who occupies, or was the most recent occupier of, each official ministerial residence in Admiralty House;
	(2)  pursuant to the answer of 29 January 2008,  Official Report, column 246W, on Admiralty House, which Minister occupies or last occupied the flat with one or two bedrooms; and which Ministers occupy or last occupied the two flats with three or four bedrooms;
	(3)  pursuant to the answer to the right hon. Member for Horsham of 25 October 2007,  Official Report, column 490W, on Official Residences: Admiralty House, what the floor area is of each of the three ministerial flats in Admiralty House; and what the current or most recent occupier is of each.

Tom Watson: One flat in Admiralty House is currently occupied. My right hon. Friend Lord Malloch-Brown occupies the flat which has three or four bedrooms depending on the configuration adopted. The other two flats are currently unoccupied. The last occupants of the flats were my right hon. Friend the former Lord Chancellor (Lord Falconer), who used the flat with one or two bedrooms depending on the configuration adopted, for official entertaining and other engagements, and my right hon. Friend the Member for Ashfield (Mr. Hoon) who used the flat with three or four bedrooms depending on the configuration adopted. The floor areas of the flats are 293 sq m, 325 sq m and 241 sq m respectively.

CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES

Children: Day Care

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will estimate the proportion of children  (a) under five years,  (b) of primary school age and  (c) of secondary school age who will have access to child care if required between 8.00 a.m. and 6.00 p.m. and for 48 weeks a year in (i) England and (ii) each local authority in (A) 2007-08, (B) 2008-09 and (C) 2009-10.

Kevin Brennan: Information is not available in the form requested.
	Section 11 of the Childcare Act 2006, which came into force in April 2007, placed a duty on local authorities to complete a child care sufficiency assessment before April 2008. They will have to complete an assessment at least every three years, and keep it under review between assessments, especially where there are key demographic changes or as new data becomes available.
	The assessment process will give local authorities the evidence and information they need to facilitate and shape a child care market that is flexible, sustainable and responsive to parents' needs. It will also help local authorities to develop their strategies for meeting the new duty to secure sufficient child care which will start in April 2008.
	Tables 1 to 3 provide information about population estimates for each local authority area for the years 2008-10 have been placed in the House Libraries. From April 2008 local authorities will need to secure sufficient child care places for working parents of these children.

Children: Disabled

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of the number of disabled children who are waiting for  (a) assessment and  (b) reassessment in relation to direct payments, in each local authority area.

Kevin Brennan: There is no information collected or estimates made regarding the number of disabled children waiting for  (a) assessment or  (b) reassessment for direct payments. However, data are collected on the number of disabled children aged 16-17, and the number of carers of disabled children, receiving direct payments at 31 March each year. The most recent data available are for 31 March 2006, and show that 649 children and 4,170 carers were receiving these payments in England. These data are also available by local authority, and have been placed in the House of Commons Library.

Children's Commissioner for England: Finance

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the budget is for the office of the Children's Commissioner for England in  (a) 2007-08,  (b) 2008-09 and  (c) 2009-10.

Beverley Hughes: The current budget is a matter for 11 Million (formerly the Office of the Children's Commissioner). Rob Williams, the chief executive, has written to the hon. Member with information about the current financial year and a copy of his reply has been placed in the House Library. The budget for the next two financial years has yet to be finalised.
	 Letter from Rob Williams, dated 13 March 2008:
	I have been asked by the Department for Children, Schools and Families to write to you in response to parliamentary question numbers 186751 and number 186748,
	I have enclosed a copy of our annual report for the years 2006-07 which contains financial details from our inception until March 2007, which contains financial details from our inception until March 2007.
	For 2007-08 and 2008-09 the figures are:
	
		
			  Analysis of budget breakdown 11 MILLION 2007 to 2009 
			   
			   2007-08 budget  2008-09 draft budget 
			 Projects 2,432,345 2,183,402 
			 Office and administration costs 238,696 252,396 
			 Premises including rent 270,283 271,438 
			 Depreciation and cost of capital 377,052 360,848 
			 Total budget 3,318,378 3,068,084 
		
	
	I hope this answers your question. If you think it would be helpful I would be more than happy to meet with you to discuss the work we have been doing and to talk through with you our work plan for the coming financial year.

Children's Commissioner for England: Finance

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will give a breakdown of the expenditure by the office of the Children's Commissioner in England by main budget heading since inception of the office.

Beverley Hughes: These are matters for 11 Million (formerly the Office of the Children's Commissioner). Rob Williams, the chief executive, has written to the hon. Member with information about the current financial year and a copy of his reply has been placed in the House Library.
	 Letter from Rob Williams, dated 13 March 2008:
	I have been asked by the Department for Children, Schools and Families to write to you in response to parliamentary question numbers 188751 and number 186748,
	I have enclosed a copy of our annual report for the years 2006-2007 which contains financial details from our inception until March 2007,
	For and the figures are:
	
		
			  Analysis of budget breakdown 11 MILLION 2007 to 2009 
			   
			   2007-08 budget  2008-09 draft budget 
			 Projects 2,432,345 2,183,402 
			 Office and administration costs 238,696 252,396 
			 Premises including rent 270,283 271,438 
			 Depreciation and cost of capital 377,052 360,848 
			 Total budget 3,318,378 3,068,084 
		
	
	I hope this answers your question. If you think it would be helpful, I would be more than happy to meet with you to discuss the work we have been doing and to talk through with you our work plan for the coming financial year.

Departmental Official Cars

Fraser Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what make and model of car  (a) he and  (b) each Minister in his Department selected as their official ministerial car; and what criteria were applied when making the decision in each case.

Kevin Brennan: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 10 March 2008,  Official Report, column 8W, by my hon. Friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Department for Transport.

Departmental Plants

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much his Department and its predecessor spent on pot plants in each of the last five years.

Kevin Brennan: The Department for Children, Schools and Families and its predecessor spending on pot plants for its headquarters buildings including maintenance and rental over the last five years is broken down as follows:
	
		
			   000 
			 2003-04 40.5 
			 2004-05 36.6 
			 2005-06 53.7 
			 2006-07 42.6 
			 2007-08 78.3

Disadvantaged: Crime

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what analysis his Department has made of the Institute of Education research indicating a correlation between educational inequality and crime; and if he will make a statement.

Kevin Brennan: This research was conducted by the DCSF-funded Centre for Research on the Wider Benefits of Learning (WBL), based at the Institute of Education. It is part of a body of research we have supported over the last eight years focusing on the impact of education, and its distribution, on societal well-being and social cohesion.
	Addressing the distribution of social outcomes created by lack of opportunity has been, and remains, a key objective for Government. The Children's Plan, recently published by the Department, restates the need to close the gap in educational achievement for children from disadvantaged families, alongside achieving world class standards. As an outcome of last year's comprehensive spending review, Government have announced a public sector agreement to
	Narrow the gap in educational achievement between children from low income and disadvantaged backgrounds and their peers
	(PSA 11). This PSA has stretching performance indicators associated with closing the gaps at each age stage of learning. By closing the gap in educational attainment we expect not only to deliver more fairness in opportunity to individuals, but to benefit the quality of society too, measured by indicators such as the incidence of crime.

Information Officers

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many people worked in his Department's press office and those of its predecessor departments in each year since 2004-05.

Kevin Brennan: The Department for Children, Schools and Families was established in June 2007 and employs the full time equivalent of 20 press officers.

Pupil Exclusions

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  how many pupils with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties have received a fixed period exclusion in the last 12 months;
	(2)  how many and what proportion of those secondary school pupils who received a fixed period exclusion in the last 12 months were eligible for free school meals.

Kevin Brennan: The requested information could be provided only at disproportionate costs.

Pupils: Hearing Impaired

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many hearing impaired pupils are taught in  (a) mainstream and  (b) special maintained schools.

Kevin Brennan: Information from the school census shows that, in January 2007 in England, there were 6,570 hearing impaired pupils in maintained primary schools, 5,670 such pupils in maintained secondary schools and 1,610 such pupils in all special schools. These figures refer to those who have hearing impairment as primary need and cover those at School Action Plus and with special educational needs statements. They exclude general hospital schools and dually registered pupils.

Sexual Harassment

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many complaints of  (a) sexual harassment and  (b) sexual discrimination have been made by staff in (i) his Department and (ii) its agencies in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Kevin Brennan: No complaints of sexual harassment or sexual discrimination were made by staff in my Department during 2007.
	The Department does not have any executive agencies.

Sure Start Programme: Lancashire

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children received services from Sure Start in West Lancashire constituency in each year since the programme's inception.

Beverley Hughes: There are five Sure Start children's centres up and running in West Lancashire offering services to 2,818 children under five and their families. We do not collect data centrally on the number of children accessing Sure Start services each year.

Vocational Education

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of the comparative returns to the economy of  (a) uncertified employer purchased training and  (b) low level vocational qualification bearing education and training; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: I have been asked to reply.
	There is insufficient data on uncertified employer purchased training, and its link to wages, employment and productivity, to allow such a comparison to be carried out. From our research on national vocational qualifications level 2 qualifications however, we do know that vocational qualifications can provide higher returns when they are delivered through the workplace, particularly for men(1).
	The Department will continue to monitor the returns to education and training, both through commissioned research and through internal analysis of data. It is vital that we gain as full an understanding as possible of the returns to training and qualifications. This will enable us to make sure that the qualifications we deliver in future provide economically valuable skills for individuals, employers and the economy as a whole, and help us to achieve the ambitions for a high-skilled work force set out in the Leitch report on skills.
	(1) See Dearden et al (2000): The returns to Academic, Vocational and Basic Skills in Britain. Skills Task Force Research Paper 20, and Jenkins et al (2007): The Returns to Qualifications in England, Updating the Evidence Base on Level 2 and Level 3 Vocational Qualifications. CEE Discussion Paper No. 89.

Youth Services: Enfield

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much funding his Department provided to Enfield council for youth services in each of the last 10 years; and what the real terms change was from each year to the next.

Beverley Hughes: The Government do not set a budget for spending on youth services. Local authorities decide what should be spent, taking into account Government policy and local needs. The following table shows how much Enfield has decided to allocate in the last nine years, in both cash and real terms. Data is not available from before 1999-2000.
	
		
			  Budgeted net expenditure by Enfield on youth service s 
			   
			   Cash terms  Real terms 
			 1999-2000 999,000 1,188,394 
			 2000-01 986,108 1,156,589 
			 2001-02 1,052,333 1,205,408 
			 2002-03 1,121,647 1,245,818 
			 2003-04 1,355,382 1,463,032 
			 2004-05 1,440,161 1,512,774 
			 2005-06 1,518,136 1,561,692 
			 2006-07 1,648,564 1,648,564 
			 2007-08 2,023,600 1,959,903 
			  Notes: 1. Cash terms figures are converted to real terms (2006-07 prices) using the December 2007 gross domestic product (GDP) deflators. 2. 2007-08 data remains provisional and subject to change by the local authority.

Youth Services: Tamworth

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much funding his Department provided to Tamworth borough council for youth services in each of the last 10 years; and what the real terms change was each year.

Kevin Brennan: Children's services funding is distributed to local (education) authorities and as such we are unable to provide any figures specifically for Tamworth borough council. The figures provided in this answer are for the whole of Staffordshire local authority (of which Tamworth is a subsection).
	The Department do not provide any funding to local authorities which is specifically ring fenced to be spent on youth services. It is left up to the individual local authorities to decide locally how much of their overall funding they want to allocate for youth services based on their own individual local needs and circumstances, and as such, included in the following table is how much Staffordshire local authority has spent on its youth services in the last eight years (1999-2000 to 2006-07). We do not have comparable figures prior to the introduction of section 52 for the 1999-2000 financial year.
	
		
			  Net current expenditure by Staffordshire local authority on youth services for 1999-2000 to 2006-07 
			   Cash terms  Real terms (2006-07 prices) 
			 Percentage change from previous yearPercentage change from previous year 
			 1999-2000 5,198,224 n/a 6,183,724 n/a 
			 2000-01 5,426,754 4.4 6,364,947 2.9 
			 2001-02 5,619,168 3.5 6,436,545 1.1 
			  
			 2002-03 5,330,832 (5.1) 5,920,975 (8.0) 
			 2003-04 5,731,777 7.5 6,187,018 4.5 
			 2004-05 6,147,428 7.3 6,457,382 4.4 
			 2005-06 6,587,558 7.2 6,776,556 4.9 
			 2006-07 7,802,989 18.5 7,802,989 15.1 
			 n/a = Figures not available.  Notes: 1. Financial data are drawn from local authorities Section 52 Outturn Statements submitted to the DCSF (formally DFES). 2002-03 saw a break in the time series following the introduction of Consistent Financial Reporting (CFR) to schools and the associated restructuring of the outturn tables. The change in sources is shown by the blank row. Comparable figures are not available prior to the introduction of section 52 for the 1999-2000 financial year. 2. 2006-07 data are subject to change by the local authority. 3. Cash terms figures are converted to real terms (2006-07 prices) using the December 2007 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) deflators. 4. Figures as reported by Staffordshire local authority as at 10 March 2008.

INNOVATION, UNIVERSITIES AND SKILLS

Adult Education: Finance

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills pursuant to the answer of 31 January 2008,  Official Report, column 516W, on adult education: finance, what the funding for adult education provision was in each of the last five years, broken down by programme.

Bill Rammell: The departmental annual report 2007 for the former Department for Education and Skills sets out adult funding provided through the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) from 2001-02 to 2005-06 based on the LSC published accounts. The following table provides an extract from the DAR showing adult participation funding for further education, Train to Gain, 19+ work-based learning and personal and community development learning programmes. Other funding for learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, University for Industry/learn direct, capital and learner support is not broken down by age so is not included in the table.
	
		
			  Extract from table 8.9 Breakdown of  e xpenditure by the Learning and Skills Council  within  departmental expenditure limit 2001-02 to 2005-06 
			  Outturn ( million) 
			   2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 19+ Further Education 1,692 1,695 1,882 1,902 2,011 
			 Train to Gain/Employer Training Pilot n/a 7 33 89 142 
			 19+ Workbased Learning 154 211 213 243 232 
			 Personal and Community Development Learning (PCDL) 153 194 225 237 229 
			 Adults Total 1,999 2,107 2,353 2,471 2,614 
			  Source: DfES departmental annual report 2007 
		
	
	Further information on the breakdown of adult funding for the period 2005-06 to 2010-11 is provided in table 5 of the Public Accounts Committee report 'Sustainable employment: supporting people to stay in work and advance' published on 27 February 2008. The presentation of this information is consistent with the 2008-09 LSC grant letter published on 16 November which reflects the introduction of the adult learner and employer responsive funding models from 2008-09. A copy of the PAC report is available in the House Library.

Construction: Vocational Education

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many people joining the construction industry via the National Skills Academy for Construction he estimates will be  (a) British citizens,  (b) citizens of countries in the European Union and  (c) citizens of countries from outside the European Union.

Bill Rammell: The Learning and Skills Council's statement of priorities 2008-11 published on 16 November 2007 sets out the Government's funding strategy over this period. The Government recognise that more has to be done to raise the employability of unskilled British workers and our funding strategy supports that. The training places announced on the 16 November are aimed at the people in the British work force who do not currently have the skills to be competitive in the future. It is reasonable to expect that UK citizens will take up the vast majority of these training places.
	Although there are no nationality estimates for the learners that will benefit from the National Skills Academy for Construction (NSAfc), ConstructionSkills, the sector skills council that is leading on the development of the NSAfc, is undertaking survey work to look at the mobility of labour more generally in the construction sector and will be publishing a report later in the year.

Departmental Official Cars

Fraser Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what make and model of car  (a) he and  (b) each Minister in his Department selected as their official ministerial car; and what criteria were applied when making the decision in each case.

Bill Rammell: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Jim Fitzpatrick) on 10 March 2008,  Official Report, column 8W.

Further Education: Foundation Degrees

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many further education colleges have applied for foundation degree awarding powers since July 2007; and how many of such applications were  (a) successful and  (b) unsuccessful.

Bill Rammell: None. The new powers that will enable further education colleges to apply for powers to award their own foundation degrees come into force on 1 May.
	The Quality Assurance Agency is, through consultation, developing detailed guidance for applicants. It is also running a series of 'road shows' to provide information to potential applicants in an informal setting.

Graduates: Personal Records

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what personal details his Department holds on graduates who received their degrees since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: Under the terms of terms of a formal agreement with the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) the Department has access to information on graduates who successfully complete their courses each year. The data include personal information on family name, forenames, family name on 16th birthday, date of birth, gender, ethnicity, disability, nationality, socio-economic background, and home postcode. In addition, for students domiciled in Northern Ireland and studying in Northern Ireland, information is available on religion, marital status, and whether they have dependents, and for Welsh domiciled students studying in Wales, whether they are Welsh speakers.

Higher Education

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills 
	(1)  how many university places were offered to applicants resident in Essex in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how many applications were made to universities by people resident in Essex in each of the last five years.

Bill Rammell: The latest figures from UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service), showing the number of students who applied and the number who were accepted for entry, are shown in the table.
	
		
			  Applicants and accepted applicants to full-time undergraduate courses from Essex local authority, UK higher education institutions, years of entry 2003 to 2007 
			  Year of entry  Applicants  Accepted applicants 
			 2003 7,681 6,413 
			 2004 7,782 6,483 
			 2005 8,615 7,095 
			 2006 8,092 6,591 
			 2007 8,762 7,181 
			  Source: Universities and Colleges Admissions Service. 
		
	
	Overall, for all students from England, the UCAS figures show that, compared to 2006, applicants who had been accepted for entry in 2007, rose by 6.1 per cent. to 307,000, the highest ever.

Higher Education: Admissions

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills 
	(1)  what proportion of students who applied for university from a  (a) state comprehensive school,  (b) state grammar school,  (c) state secondary modern school,  (d) other state secondary school,  (e) further education college,  (f) state sixth form college and  (g) independent school or college accepted a place at university in each of the last four years for which figures are available;
	(2)  what proportion of students from a  (a) state comprehensive school,  (b) state grammar school,  (c) state secondary modern school,  (d) other state secondary school,  (e) further education college,  (f) state sixth form college and  (g) independent school or college accepted a place at university in each of the last four years for which figures are available, broken down by local authority.

Bill Rammell: The latest figures from UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) showing the proportion of applicants who were accepted for entry are shown in the table.
	Information on the proportion of all students at each type of school who were accepted for entry by local authority is not held centrally.
	
		
			  English domiciled applicants and accepted applicants to full-time undergraduate courses in the UK by previous school type year of entry 2004 to 2007 
			  Previous  school type  Year of entry  Applicants  Accepted applicants  Proportion of accepted applicants (percentage) 
			 Comprehensive School 2004 74,336 63,749 85.8 
			  2005 80,653 70,454 87.4 
			  2006 83,578 70,529 84.4 
			  2007(1) 100,396 84,267 83.9 
			 Grammar School 2004 12,434 11,127 89.5 
			  2005 13,330 12,056 90.4 
			  2006 13,067 11,558 88.5 
			  2007(1) 19,762 17,466 88.4 
			 Other Maintained(2) 2004 21,935 18,948 86.4 
			  2005 23,572 20,740 88.0 
			  2006 22,620 19,435 85.9 
			  2007(1) 1,820 1,533 84.2 
			 Further/Higher Education 2004 84,671 65,931 77.9 
			  2005 86,709 68,228 78.7 
			  2006 100,478 75,985 75.6 
			  2007(1) 110,098 82,906 75.3 
			 Sixth Form College 2004 39,151 33,792 86.3 
			  2005 43,329 37,971 87.6 
			  2006 44,129 37,597 85.2 
			  2007(1) 48,662 41,400 85.1 
			 Independent School 2004 32,583 28,303 86.9 
			  2005 32,577 28,765 88.3 
			  2006 32,376 27,754 85.7 
			  2007(1) 34,277 29,215 85.2 
			 Other 2004 3,748 3,080 82.2 
			  2005 4,216 3,433 81.4 
			  2006 4,447 3,538 79.6 
			  2007(1) 5,777 4,700 81.4 
			 Unknown 2004 71,109 52,149 73.3 
			  2005 84,415 60,151 71.3 
			  2006 57,372 42,833 74.7 
			  2007(1) 59,285 45,472 76.7 
			 Total 2004 339,967 277,079 81.5 
			  2005 368,801 301,798 81.8 
			  2006 358,067 289,229 80.8 
			  2007(1) 380,077 306,959 80.8 
			 (1) In 2007 schools in the other maintained category were re-allocated to other categories and this is the reason for the large drop in numbers in the other maintained category. Therefore figures for 2007 are not directly comparable to earlier years. (2) The other maintained type covers other maintained and sixth form centres.  Source: Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).

Students: Grants

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many university students receive  (a) grants and  (b) full grants.

Bill Rammell: Available data are shown in the table.
	
		
			  Number of students receiving grants( 1,2) , students domiciled in England studying in the UK, academic year 2006-07( 3) 
			   Number (thousand)( 4) 
			 Students in receipt of a full grant 222 
			 Students in receipt of a partial grant 96 
			 Students in receipt of a nil grant 453 
			 Total(5) 770 
			 (1) Figures cover the Higher Education Grant (HEG), Maintenance Grant and the Special Support Grant. (2) Data do not include tuition fee remission grants or supplementary grants and allowances; e.g. for students with disabilities, students with dependents, single parent students, those incurring certain travel costs and those who have recently left care. (3) Latest year for which complete data are available. (4) Student numbers rounded to the nearest thousand. (5) Excludes those students who do not apply to the SLC for any financial support. (6) Constituent parts may not add to total due to rounding.  Source: Student Loans Company (SLC). 
		
	
	The means-tested higher education grant (HEG) of up to 1,000 was introduced for new students in academic year 2004-05. In 2006-07 the HEG was replaced for new students by the maintenance grant and special support grant. A maximum of 2,700 (2,765 in 2007-08) was available subject to means-testing.
	Income thresholds for grant entitlement are being changed for students who will be entering higher education in or after September 2008. The income threshold for full entitlement to the maintenance grant is being increased to 25,000 (compared with 17,910 in 2007-08). The threshold for entitlement to a partial maintenance grant is increasing from 38,330 in 2007-08 to 60,005 for 2008-09. We estimate that the increased thresholds will mean that one-third of all students in England entering higher education in 2008-09 will receive a full non-repayable grant, while another one-third will receive a partial grant.

Students: Loans

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what estimate he has made of the likely effect on administrative costs of requiring students to have an identity card to apply for a student loan; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: There are no plans to require students to have an ID card to apply for a student loan or any other form of student support, therefore no estimates of the cost have been made.
	The policy on the introduction of identity cards on a voluntary basis rests with the Home Office. Currently either a passport or a birth certificate (accompanied by an identity confirmation form signed by a person of good standing) is required as proof of identity for students applying for a Government student loan. We have no current plans to change this, although the process for verifying the identity of applicants is kept under review.

Students: Loans

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many recipients of  (a) student loans and  (b) education maintenance allowance there are in Bassetlaw constituency, broken down by ward.

Bill Rammell: The information requested on student loans is not available at constituency or ward level. 10,580 students from Nottinghamshire local authority received a maintenance loan in academic year 2006-07, and 10,080 received a tuition fee loan.
	The Learning and Skills Council operate the education maintenance allowance for the Department for Children, Schools and Families and hold the information about take-up and payments made under the scheme. Mark Haysom, the LSC's chief executive, will write to the hon. Gentleman with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Library.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Animal Experiments

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department further to the Ministerial letter of 31 January 2006 responding to the recommendations within the Animal Procedures Committee's 2005 report on the Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals, what response her Department plans to make to the APC's recommendation 16.

Meg Hillier: We will shortly be reviewing our response to all of the recommendations in this Animal Procedures Committee report, including recommendation 16, and will aim to publish our further conclusions when we publish the Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals 2007.

Animal Welfare

Elliot Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which of her Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies have specialists in animal welfare on their boards.

Meg Hillier: The Animal Procedures Committee is the only Home Office advisory non-departmental public body that includes specialist animal welfare representatives.

Biometrics

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department further to the statement on page 19 of the strategic action plan for the national identity scheme, 20 December 2006, that the introduction of iris biometrics remained an option, whether iris biometrics will be recorded and stored on the national identity register.

Meg Hillier: Iris biometrics will not be recorded on the national identity register when the scheme starts. However, it remains an option that we will continue to review as the scheme progresses.

Crime: Cambridgeshire

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) crimes,  (b) violent crimes,  (c) robbery offences,  (d) burglary offences,  (e) criminal damage offences and  (f) drug offences were recorded in (i) Cambridgeshire, (ii) Cumbria, (iii) Devon and Cornwall, (iv) Durham, (v) Dyfed-Powys, (vi) Gloucestershire, (vii) Lincolnshire, (viii) Norfolk, (ix) North Yorkshire, (x) North Wales, (xi) West Mercia and (xii) Wiltshire in each of the last nine years.

Vernon Coaker: The available information is given in the following table.
	A number of changes have been made to recorded crime in response to suggestions in the two reviews of crime statistics. Once such change is that the term 'violent crime' is no longer used in connection with the recorded crime statistics and we now provide figures for violence against the person.
	
		
			  Specific offences recorded by selected police forces in England and Wales 
			  Number of offences 
			  Force  All crime  Violence against the person  Robbery  Burglary  Criminal damage  Drug offences 
			  Cambridgeshire   
			 1998-99 67,256 5,345 437 12,759 11,925 1,166 
			 1999-2000 68,722 6,090 548 12,377 12,110 1,011 
			 2000-01 64,337 6,423 539 10,244 13,196 829 
			 2001-02 69,559 7,345 679 11,161 13,972 798 
			 2002-03(1) 85,029 12,574 906 12,775 16,153 904 
			 2003-04 79,960 13,663 786 10,257 16,534 1,047 
			 2004-05 73,659 13,358 634 8,501 16,227 1,174 
			 2005-06 66,804 10,158 562 8,217 14,680 1,442 
			 2006-07 69,146 10,421 733 8,821 15,597 2,124 
			
			  Cumbria   
			 1998-99 40,202 5,582 119 5,812 8,405 1,621 
			 1999-2000 37,729 5,142 90 5,455 8,943 1,360 
			 2000-01 32,744 4,146 93 4,759 8,895 948 
			 2001-02 37,229 5,334 143 4,942 10,120 925 
			 2002-03(1) 37,595 5,725 130 4,895 10,304 1,038 
			 2003-04 39,539 6,874 124 4,613 11,629 1,189 
			 2004-05 43,300 9,195 109 4,274 12,858 1,321 
			 2005-06 42,722 9,206 87 3,450 13,627 1,568 
			 2006-07 38,640 8,187 68 3,096 12,669 1,434 
			
			  Devon and Cornwall   
			 1998-99 110,644 11,758 462 17,808 17,722 3,873 
			 1999-2000 110,361 12,479 487 17,307 18,490 3,784 
			 2000-01 102,853 12,005 452 15,606 18,284 3,374 
			 2001-02 101,425 12,434 474 15,257 19,875 4,079 
			 2002-03(1) 131,240 23,720 710 15,700 26,883 4,516 
			 2003-04 131,453 25,969 562 14,024 30,116 4,826 
			 2004-05 133,282 28,335 541 14,012 31,021 4,356 
			 2005-06 124,533 25,305 566 12,519 31,274 4,147 
			 2006-07 124,569 25,027 649 12,459 32,980 3,867 
			
			  Durham   
			 1998-99 50,413 4,955 172 10,135 11,122 1,388 
			 1999-2000 48,796 5,397 236 9,083 10,654 1,259 
			 2000-01 45,900 5,444 238 7,744 10,556 1,234 
			 2001-02 51,478 6,410 284 8,864 13,018 1,317 
			 2002-03(1) 51,177 7,711 287 7,656 14,067 1,289 
			 2003-04 48,432 6,565 267 7,083 14,244 1,205 
			 2004-05 47,115 7,027 178 6,853 15,176 1,062 
			 2005-06 53,123 9,899 281 6,660 16,322 1,299 
			 2006-07 53,173 10,017 233 6,706 16,422 1,317 
			
			  Dyfed-Powys   
			 1998-99 24,588 4,680 42 2,615 4,497 2,483 
			 1999-2000 23,709 5,519 28 2,072 4,417 2,030 
			 2000-01 17,736 4,194 20 1,489 3,638 1,273 
			 2001-02 23,969 5,516 26 2,122 4,949 2,407 
			 2002-03(1) 25,104 6,217 40 2,104 4,920 2,978 
			 2003-04 31,105 7,909 54 2,703 7,032 2,420 
			 2004-05 32,409 8,315 41 2,875 8,186 2,327 
			 2005-06 30,185 7,711 40 2,240 7,939 2,495 
			 2006-07 30,124 7,694 47 2,232 8,003 2,484 
			
			  Gloucestershire   
			 1998-99 48,206 3,230 273 10,111 6,570 1,152 
			 1999-2000 50,993 4,240 291 9,308 7,990 1,285 
			 2000-01 49,579 4,934 357 7,796 9,048 1,280 
			 2001-02 50,467 4,695 498 8,468 9,264 1,223 
			 2002-03(1) 55,775 7,734 521 8,694 10,103 1,311 
			 2003-04 58,097 8,303 541 9,072 10,847 1,288 
			 2004-05 53,333 9,549 384 7,142 10,802 1,218 
			 2005-06 53,062 10,496 476 6,260 11,259 1,352 
			 2006-07 52,388 10,831 394 6,413 11,999 1,207 
			
			  Lincolnshire   
			 1998-99 46,670 4,239 149 10,257 7,728 1,229 
			 1999-2000 46,170 3,866 178 10,719 8,391 975 
			 2000-01 44,886 3,745 191 9,583 9,078 906 
			 2001-02 49,792 4,812 251 9,592 11,282 1,116 
			 2002-03(1) 61,949 9,238 307 10,831 13,694 1,060 
			 2003-04 60,377 10,148 304 9,052 15,176 1,061 
			 2004-05 58,349 10,856 243 7,306 14,934 951 
			 2005-06 57,608 10,726 229 7,145 14,069 1,239 
			 2006-07 55,478 10,257 230 6,601 14,528 1,421 
			
			  Norfolk   
			 1998-99 57,129 5,461 220 10,154 10,393 1,534 
			 1999-2000 59,387 6,382 297 10,243 10,978 1,561 
			 2000-01 57,240 5,775 330 9,445 11,475 1,160 
			 2001-02 58,923 6,021 401 9,043 13,065 1,211 
			 2002-03(1) 71,270 10,607 579 9,681 16,030 1,392 
			 2003-04 69,846 11,586 459 8,169 17,462 1,508 
			 2004-05 66,376 12,920 324 6,577 17,470 1,602 
			 2005-06 64,902 12,504 301 6,000 17,577 1,821 
			 2006-07 62,626 11,582 359 5,591 17,258 2,005 
			
			  North Yorkshire   
			 1998-99 55,309 4,827 170 11,237 8,372 1,560 
			 1999-2000 53,554 5,101 212 10,402 8,617 1,408 
			 2000-01 51,532 4,895 186 9,828 9,166 1,259 
			 2001-02 59,125 5,624 291 11,656 11,436 1,491 
			 2002-03(1) 67,239 8,108 356 11,511 13,168 1,582 
			 2003-04 71,473 9,610 395 11,062 14,732 1,624 
			 2004-05 61,615 12,045 328 7,759 13,573 1,678 
			 2005-06 58,850 11,473 240 7,324 12,723 1,899 
			 2006-07 54,526 10,087 278 6,836 12,509 1,730 
			
			  North Wales   
			 1998-99 43,848 4,703 127 7,226 9,652 1,885 
			 1999-2000 44,606 5,739 146 6,892 10,102 1,586 
			 2000-01 47,401 5,319 158 7,197 12,157 1,421 
			 2001-02 53,839 7,349 194 7,368 14,388 1,382 
			 2002-03(1) 65,067 11,472 224 8,534 17,079 1,830 
			 2003-04 61,749 10,979 201 7,301 17,036 1,830 
			 2004-05 53,849 12,021 149 5,008 15,107 1,833 
			 2005-06 50,270 12,330 150 4,471 14,436 2,108 
			 2006-07 53,450 14,423 134 4,565 14,841 2,105 
			
			  West Mercia   
			 1998-99 81,782 6,995 351 14,631 15,346 2,393 
			 1999-2000 84,797 8,213 359 14,313 17,410 2,137 
			 2000-01 78,516 7,911 422 13,384 16,817 2,092 
			 2001-02 102,257 17,032 646 15,398 22,739 2,109 
			 2002-03(1) 105,077 19,848 728 16,375 21,258 2,053 
			 2003-04 106,900 21,867 689 15,015 23,615 2,218 
			 2004-05 95,056 18,179 531 12,424 21,962 2,278 
			 2005-06 85,353 15,699 453 11,066 20,563 2,537 
			 2006-07 82,095 16,010 581 9,529 20,675 2,423 
			
			  Wiltshire   
			 1998-99 38,189 4,390 195 6,129 6,644 1,199 
			 1999-2000 38,461 4,519 258 5,718 7,151 1,172 
			 2000-01 36,288 4,464 191 5,027 7,423 1,008 
			 2001-02 38,728 4,379 279 5,824 8,374 1,076 
			 2002-03(1) 44,225 6,419 336 6,242 9,246 898 
			 2003-04 42,956 6,302 328 5,929 9,446 971 
			 2004-05 40,076 6,004 256 5,120 9,020 1,066 
			 2005-06 42,181 7,488 301 4,791 9,674 1,340 
			 2006-07 45,098 8,676 363 5,142 11,569 975 
			 (1) The National Crime Recording standard was introduced in 2002-03. Because of this figures before and after that date are not directly comparable.

Crime: Lincolnshire

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many incidents of  (a) violent crime,  (b) burglary and  (c) car crime took place in north east Lincolnshire in each year since 2000.

Vernon Coaker: The available information relates to offences recorded in the north east Lincolnshire crime and disorder reduction partnership area and is given in the following table.
	A number of changes have been made to recorded crime in response to suggestions in the two reviews of crime statistics. Once such change is that the term violent crime is no longer used in connection with the recorded crime statistics and we now provide figures for violence against the person. In addition, a new offence group of Offences against vehicles has also been created. This group includes offences of theft of and from a vehicle and interfering with a motor vehicle.
	
		
			  Specific offences recorded by the police in North East Lincolnshire 
			   Violence against the person  Burglary  Offences against vehicles( 1) 
			 2000-01 1,891 5,290 5,244 
			 2001-02 2,083 5,803 5,409 
			 2002-03(2) 3,284 5,127 5,764 
			 2003-04 6,046 4,832 6,201 
			 2004-05 5,751 4,554 5,432 
			 2005-06 5,165 3,536 4,340 
			 2006-07 5,717 3,311 4,091 
			 (1) Includes offences of theft of and from a vehicle and interfering with a motor vehicle. (2) The National Crime Recording Standard was introduced in 2002-03 and figures before and after that date are not directly comparable.

Crime: Prosecutions

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) males and  (b) females were (i) arrested, (ii) prosecuted and (iii) convicted of aiding and abetting a criminal offence of trespass under section 128 of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 in each year since the Act came into force, broken down by age group.

Tony McNulty: I understand from the relevant police forces that one male has been arrested for aiding and abetting the offence under section 128 of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005.
	Any prosecutions would be brought under the main offence. The Ministry of Justice can confirm that in 2005 and 2006 there have been no prosecutions and convictions for trespass under section 128 of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005. Data for 2007 will be available in the autumn of 2008.

Departmental Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether it is her Department's policy that Ministers should sign replies to hon. Members writing on constituency cases; and under which circumstances Ministers would not sign such replies.

Tony McNulty: Current Home Office policy is for Ministers to sign replies to all letters received from hon. Members.
	Separately, the Border and Immigration Agency has a similar policy except that, where the letter relates to the day-to-day operations of the agency, Ministers have authorised the chief executive to reply on their behalf. Where hon. Members write direct to the agency rather than to a Minister, an official reply is sent.

Departmental Information and Communications Technology

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department has spent on the PentiP computer system.

Tony McNulty: The Pentip project will deliver a standard, United Kingdom-wide business process and information technology system to support the processing of penalty notices by the police service and Her Majesty's courts service.
	The total cost of designing, building and implementing Pentip is forecast at 13 million. Expenditure up to the end of the current financial year is 5.3 million.

Dogs

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many incidents of a member of the public being bitten by a dog were reported to the police in 2007.

Vernon Coaker: The information requested is not available from the Home Office. There is no requirement for the police to report such incidences to the Home Office.

Extradition

John Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she has received an extradition request from the principality of Liechtenstein for persons suspected of procuring documents belonging to the Bank of Liechtenstein; and whether such a request would fall under the provisions of the European convention on extradition.

Meg Hillier: As a matter of longstanding policy and practice the United Kingdom will neither confirm nor deny that it has received, is to make or has made an extradition request, until the subject of the request has been arrested in relation to the request.
	Liechtenstein is a party to the European convention on extradition; the principality is designated for the purposes of part 2 of the Extradition Act 2003 and any extradition request to the United Kingdom would be considered under that part of the Act.

Genetics: Database

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information is available on the purpose, scope and expected usage of the national identity register; and if she will publish this information alongside the information available on the www.ips.gov.uk website.

Meg Hillier: The national identity scheme delivery plan 2008, published on 6 March 2008, includes the Government's updated plans for the introduction and development of the national identity register.
	A copy of the delivery plan can be found at:
	http://www.ips.gov.uk/identity/downloads/national-identity-scheme-delivery-2008.pdf

Police: Airports

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether police forces are reimbursed for additional policing of airports when threats to public order are deemed to have arisen due to delays in processing passengers.

Tony McNulty: Airport police funding is a local matter for individual airports. There are currently nine airports designated under the Aviation Security Act 1982 for policing purposesLondon Heathrow, London Gatwick, London Stansted, Edinburgh, Glasgow International, Prestwick, Aberdeen, Manchester and Birmingham. At these airports the airport operator is required to meet the costs of the agreed police presence. At non-designated airports, they either have a dedicated police presence or the police attend when there is an operational need to do so. These costs are funded wholly or partly by the police authority in which that airport is located, or by other means, for example, voluntary contributions by the airport operator.
	The Government are also considering how to implement the conclusions of the independent report into airport policing, with the aim of clarifying the roles and responsibilities of the police, airport operators and other agencies to deliver a high level of security at UK airports and we will set out proposals on this later in the year.

Police: Finance

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations she has received on funding of the police.

Tony McNulty: The Home Office has received 26 written representations covering 23 police authority areas, including representations from the Association of Police Authorities/Police Authority Treasurers' Society in response to the provisional funding settlement for 2008-09 to 2010-11 announced last December.
	Meetings have also been held with representatives of individual police authorities and right hon. and hon. Members to discuss funding issues.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she will answer question 179093 on the national DNA database tabled on 9 January 2008 by the hon. Member for Cardiff Central; and if she will make a statement.

Meg Hillier: The question was answered on 5 March 2008,  Official Report, columns 2669-70W.

BUSINESS, ENTERPRISE AND REGULATORY REFORM

Apprentices

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform 
	(1)  how many adult apprenticeships have been completed since the programme was introduced;
	(2)  how many apprenticeships have been completed by women since 1997;
	(3)  how many black and ethnic minority people have completed apprenticeships since 1997;
	(4)  how many disabled people have completed apprenticeships since 1997.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 3 March 2008
	I have been asked to reply.
	The total number of apprenticeship frameworks achieved in England since 2001-02the year that information was first collected on the Learning and Skills Council's individualised learner recordis 410,000. Data on the breakdowns by age, gender, ethnicity and disability for the last three years is shown in the following table, but information for the other years is not readily available.
	
		
			   Apprenticeship frameworks achieved 2004-05 to 2006-07 
			 Total 277,500 
			 Adult learners (aged 19+) 112,800 
			 Male 148,900 
			 Female 128,700 
			 Black or minority ethnic 11,600 
			 White 262,600 
			 Learner has a learning difficulty and/or disability and/or health problem 24,900 
			 Learner does not have a learning difficulty and/or disability and/or health problem 249,200 
			  Source:  Learning and Skills Council

Biofuels: Finance

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the annual turnover of the  (a) biodiesel and  (b) bioethanol industries was in each of the last five years (i) in total and (ii) broken down by region; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department does not hold information on the annual turnover of the biodiesel and bioethanol industries.
	Information on the UK road transport biofuels market was published in the BERR Energy Trends publication for December 2007 available at:
	www.berr.gov.uk/files/file43304.pdf (pages 45-48)

Biofuels: Manpower

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many people were employed in the  (a) biodiesel and  (b) bioethanol industry in each of the last five years (i) in total and (ii) broken down by region; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department does not hold information on the number of people employed in the biodiesel and bioethanol industries.

Coal Fired Power Stations

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the effects on the cement production industry of likely changes in on-site gypsum storage demands at super critical coal-fired power stations;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the effect on the production tonnage of pulverised fuel ash of the development of new coal-fired power stations in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: No such assessments have been made.

Coal Fired Power Stations

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will commission a strategic environmental assessment of the policy framework for consenting to new coal-fired power stations to be  (a) carried out and  (b) published.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department will not require a strategic environmental assessment of the policy framework for consenting to new coal-fired power stations to be carried out or published.

Coal Fired Power Stations: Carbon Emissions

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform 
	(1)  what assessment has been made of the implications of new coal power plants for decarbonisation of other sectors of the economy;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of likely implications of spending on the proposed new power plant at Kingsnorth on the market for renewable electricity.

Malcolm Wicks: Given the participation of the electricity generating sector in the EU emissions trading scheme, new coal power plants will have no impact on net emissions from industries covered by the scheme. This is because these power plants will have to surrender a carbon emission allowance for each tonne of carbon dioxide they emit, meaning that those carbon allowances will not be available to enable emissions by other EU ETS participants. The EU ETS covers power generation and energy intensive industry.
	The market for renewable electricity is established by the renewables obligation which requires electricity suppliers to source a minimum proportion of their supply from renewable energy. Spending on other forms of electricity generation should therefore have no effect on that market.

Coal Fired Power Stations: Carbon Emissions

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment he has been made of the possible effect of new coal power plants on the Government's greenhouse gas emission reduction targets; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: The EU emissions trading scheme ensures that total carbon emissions across EU industry and power generation sectors are restricted by a cap. Any new coal plant in the UK would have to buy allowances to emit, ensuring that equivalent carbon savings are made elsewhere, which count under the Government's approach to carbon budgeting.

Coal Fired Power Stations: Carbon Sequestration

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment he has made of the  (a) incentives and  (b) legal framework necessary for companies to retrofit carbon capture and storage technology to coal-fired power stations; and if he will publish any such assessment.

Malcolm Wicks: Ongoing policy development work by my Department is aimed at promoting the widespread deployment of CCS on new-build and existing power stations and we are assessing a variety of options to achieve this, including possible incentives.
	Companies wishing to retrofit the full chain of carbon capture and storage technology would have to obtain the usual planning and regulatory consents. The Energy Bill 2008 contains provisions that will enable the storage of carbon dioxide offshore.

Coal Fired Power Stations: Carbon Sequestration

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what contingency plans he has for circumstances where carbon capture and storage technologies proposed in relation to coal-fired power stations fail to work in  (a) Kingsnorth, Kent and  (b) the UK.

Malcolm Wicks: The separate processes involved in CCScapture, transport and storagehave been proven on an individual basis over many years. The purpose of the commercial-scale CCS demonstration project supported by the UK Government is to test the viability of CCS on a commercial-scale coal power station.
	In the unlikely event that CCS does not prove technologically viable for fossil fuel power stations, or other major sources of carbon dioxide emissions, the Government remain committed to taking actions required to achieve our domestic emissions reductions targets of at least a 60 per cent. reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2050, with at least a 26 per cent. reduction by 2020 (on 1990 baseline).

Coal Fired Power Stations: Kingsnorth

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment he has made of the impact of the likely volume of carbon dioxide of a new coal fired power station at Kingsnorth on meeting the UK's emissions target to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by  (a) 2020 and  (b) 2050.

Malcolm Wicks: The Secretary of State has made no such formal assessment. We remain committed to meeting the UK's emissions targets for both 2020 and 2050.

Coal Fired Power Stations: Kingsnorth

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what consultation he plans to hold on the development of a mitigation strategy for the environmental and biodiversity impacts in relation to Medway estuary and marshes  (a) special protection area,  (b) Ramsar site and  (c) site of special scientific interest of the proposed power station at Kingsnorth in Kent; and whom he plans to consult.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department is consulting Natural England, the Environment Agency, Medway council and E.ON on the terms of conditions to mitigate or remove any adverse impacts to protected areas and species, should the Secretary of State decide to grant consent.

Coal Fired Power Stations: Kingsnorth

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what representations he has received, and from whom, on the potential for combined heat and power technology to be included as part of the proposal for the power station at Kingsnorth in Kent; and what discussions he has had on the infrastructure required to  (a) capture,  (b) transport and  (c) utilise the heat to be generated at the proposed Kingsnorth power station.

Malcolm Wicks: Numerous representations have been received from individuals and others, including Greenpeace and the constituency MP, on the use of heat. The Department is discussing the terms of suggested conditions to ensure that the necessary infrastructure is in place to cater for any heat demand that arises should the Secretary of State decide to grant consent.

Coal Fired Power Stations: Kingsnorth

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will make a statement on whether low carbon energy generation technologies were considered for construction at Kingsnorth in Kent prior to the existing proposal for a coal-fired power station there.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department has given no such consideration to other low carbon energy generation technologies at Kingsnorth. The choice of technology is a commercial matter for the applicant.

Coal Fired Power Stations: Kingsnorth

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform 
	(1)  what assessment his Department has made of likely changes in on-site storage demand for ash at the supercritical units planned at the proposed coal-fired power station at Kingsnorth;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the effect of the operation of the proposed new coal-fired power station at Kingsnorth on natural gas imports to the UK;
	(3)  what assessment he has made of the effect of potential changes in storage requirements for gypsum on the design and build process for the proposed coal-fired power station at Kingsnorth;
	(4)  what assessment he has made of the role that  (a) wet and  (b) dry electrostatic precipitation technologies will have in the reduction of particulate emissions at the proposed new coal-fired power station at Kingsnorth; and if he will make a statement;
	(5)  what assessment he has made of the effective transmission range of heat to be captured through combined heat and power technology at the proposed coal-fired power station at Kingsnorth; and what representations he has received from industry groups on this issue.

Malcolm Wicks: No such assessments have been made.

Coal Fired Power Stations: Kingsnorth

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will require the implementation of heat capture mechanisms at the proposed Kingsnorth power station; and what consideration has been given to the alternative siting of the power station to improve heat capture options.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department is currently discussing draft planning conditions which include the installation of the necessary infrastructure to supply heat should such a demand arise should the Secretary of State decide to grant consent. Subject to the proper consideration under both planning and environmental regimes the siting of a power station is a matter for the applicant concerned.

Coal Fired Power Stations: Limestone

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform 
	(1)  what estimate his Department has made of future on-site storage demand for gypsum at the new supercritical units planned at the coal-fired power station at Kingsnorth;
	(2)  what estimate his Department has made of on-site storage demand for limestone at the new supercritical units planned at the coal-fired power station at Kingsnorth.

Malcolm Wicks: The storage capacity at Kingsnorth for gypsum and limestone would be the subject of planning conditions which would be agreed with Medway council.

Coal Fired Power Stations: Pollution Control

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what steps he plans to take to avoid release of slipped ammonia from the selective catalytic reduction process at the proposed coal-fired power station at Kingsnorth.

Malcolm Wicks: The avoidance of releases of pollutants to the environment are a matter for the Environment Agency.

Coal Fired Power Stations: Pollution Control

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform which catalytic reductant is proposed as part of the selective catalytic reduction process at the proposed new coal-fired power station at Kingsnorth.

Malcolm Wicks: Ammonia (anhydrous) would be the proposed selective catalytic reduction reagent.

Departmental Official Cars

Fraser Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what make and model of car  (a) he and  (b) each Minister in his Department selected as their official ministerial car; and what criteria were applied when making the decision in each case.

Gareth Thomas: The Prime Minister sets the criteria for cars for use by Ministers. Currently, Cabinet Ministers may choose either a diesel-powered Jaguar XJ or a Toyota Prius hybrid. Other Ministers may also choose from a Toyota Prius, a Honda Civic hybrid or any other suitable car with a CO2 emission of 185g/km or less.

Energy: Meters

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform 
	(1)  what the Government's strategy is on increasing take-up of smart meters; and what discussions has he had with the Energy Retail Association on this matter;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the take-up of smart meters; and what discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues in the Department for Communities and Local Government on the use of smart meters in  (a) new and  (b) existing stock.

Malcolm Wicks: My Department has consulted on a range of metering and billing proposals, and has held discussions with a range of interested parties, including other Government Departments and gas and electricity suppliers. We will shortly respond to the consultation. In doing so, we will set out our views on the next steps on smart metering.

Global Energy Partnership

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform which meetings of the Global Energy Partnership have been attended by United Kingdom representatives in the last 12 months; and in what capacity such representatives attended.

Malcolm Wicks: UK representatives attended the following Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) meetings as observers:
	GNEP Ministerial Meeting on 21 May 2007 in Washington, D.C.;
	GNEP Ministerial Meeting on 16 September 2007 in Vienna; and
	GNEP Steering Group Meeting on 11-13 December 2007 in Vienna.

Government Departments: Renewable Energy

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what progress the Government has made in meeting its share of the 2020 EU renewable energy target.

Malcolm Wicks: At present, just under 2 per cent. of our energy comes from renewable sources, and on current policies, we expect that to rise to about 5 per cent. by 2020. Agreement has not been reached on the contribution that each member state (including the UK) will make toward the EU 2020 renewable energy target, but we are fully committed to meeting our fair share. We will consult in the summer on what more we should do to increase renewable energy use to meet our contribution and publish our full renewable energy strategy in spring 2009 once the EU directive has been agreed.

Industrial Diseases: Compensation

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many claimants under the coal compensation scheme have waited 10 years or more for compensation.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department received 592,000 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) claims. Of these, 669 claims were registered 10 years or more before being settled by payment. There are 1,916 COPD claims still outstanding that were registered 10 years or more ago.
	The Department also received 170,000 vibration white finger (VWF) claims. Of these, 2,070 were registered 10 years or more before being settled by payment. There are 496 VWF claims still outstanding that were registered 10 years or more ago.
	In each case, claims will have been registered before agreement was reached as to how claims should be handled and could not have been settled during these periods. In addition, many of the claims that remain outstanding involve co-defendant or other issues which are not within the Department's control to resolve.

Ipsos MORI

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what payments each of the regional development agencies have made to Ipsos MORI in the last 24 months; and for what purposes.

Patrick McFadden: The following table shows payments made by each of the RDAs to Ipsos MORI in the last 24 months; and for what purposes.
	
		
			  RDAs  Payments to Ipsos (000)  Purpose 
			 AWM 167 Analysis of impact of inward investment activities and strategy development 
			   Regional magazine readership survey 
			   Post-annual conference survey 
			   Employers study on graduate employment within the region 
			
			 EEDA 0  
			 EMDA 18 Staff perception survey used to direct HR policy 
			 LDA 0  
			 NWDA 100 Four surveys to inform marketing of the North West region 
			 ONE 0  
			 SEEDA 0  
			 SWRDA 0  
			 YF 32 Stakeholder engagement survey on rural renaissance proposals

Kent

Stephen Ladyman: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what funds in the form of  (a) revenue payments,  (b) capital grants and  (c) supported borrowing for which his Department is responsible have been made available to (i) Kent County Council, (ii) Thanet District Council and (iii) Dover District Council in 2007-08.

Patrick McFadden: The central Government revenue funding to Kent county council, Thanet district council and Dover district council in each year since 1993 is tabled as follows.
	
		
			  000 
			   Kent county council  Dover district council  Thanet district council 
			 1993-94 845,077 7,929 11,394 
			 1994-95 875,246 8,262 11,105 
			 1995-96 754,685 8,088 10,613 
			 1996-97 781,543 8,490 11,381 
			 1997-98 786,516 8,522 11,457 
			 1998-99 699,509 8,338 11,868 
			 1999-2000 755,146 8,582 11,891 
			 2000-01 841,362 9,147 12,297 
			 2001-02 904,878 9,369 12,895 
			 2002-03 960,539 9,646 13,218 
			 2003-04 1,049,759 9,912 14,022 
			 2004-05 1,094,036 9,450 14,432 
			 2005-06 1,129,800 9,774 13,952 
			 2006-07 1,168,806 10,811 15,766 
			  Source: Communities and Local Government Revenue Outturn (RO) returns 
		
	
	The large differences between 1994-95 and 1995-96 and between 1997-98 and 1998-99 for Kent county council are as result of local authority re-organisation.
	Central Government revenue funding is defined here as the sum of formula grant (revenue support grant, police grant and redistributed non-domestic rates) and specific grants inside aggregate external finance (AEF), i.e. revenue grants paid for councils' core services. In past years, it also includes the standard spending assessment reduction grant, central support protection grant, council tax benefit subsidy limitation scheme.
	Figures exclude grants outside AEF (i.e. where funding is not for authorities' core services, but is passed to a third party, for example, rent allowances and rebates), capital grants, funding for the local authorities' housing management responsibilities and those grant programmes (such as European funding) where authorities are simply one of the recipients of funding paid towards an area.
	Comparisons across years may not be valid due to changing local authority responsibilities.
	The amount of capital grants provided to local authorities by central Government is not available. Funding of supported borrowing is included indistinguishably in revenue funding given in the aforementioned table.

Low Carbon Buildings Programme

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much of phase 2 of the low carbon buildings programme budget  (a) has been allocated in grants and  (b) is available, broken down by funding stream.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 22 February 2008
	Phase 2 of the low carbon buildings programme has a grant budget of 48 million available through one funding stream.
	As of 21 February, 7,813,051.06 had been allocated. Therefore 40,186,948.94 remains available to potential applicants. My Department is currently taking forward work to increase uptake.
	Statistics on grant allocation for phase 2 of the low carbon buildings programme are updated daily and are available from the scheme's website at:
	http://www.lowcarbonbuildingsphase2.org.uk/reportsummary.jsp

Low Carbon Buildings Programme: Finance

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many and what proportion of grants and how much and what proportion of grant money initially committed under phase one of the low carbon buildings programme prior to April 2007 has not been taken up; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: Prior to April 2007, we had committed 8,027,264 to 5,062 household projects through the low carbon buildings programme, of which 2,163,367 (27 per cent. of value) to 1,929 (38 per cent. of applications) have not been taken up.

Low Carbon Buildings Programme: Advertising

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much the Department has spent on advertising grants available to households under phase one of the low carbon buildings programme; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: Since the launch of the low carbon buildings programme phase 1 in April 2006, we have spent approximately 82,000 on advertising the householder grants through our programme contractors, the Energy Saving Trust. This work includes the development of the www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk website, presentations at industry events, and marketing activities through the use of the EST advice network and market segmentation models to target those that are most likely to install microgeneration technologies and apply for grants.
	This does not take into account the work that my officials have done, which includes developing web pages with other Government Departments and industry at:
	www.direct.gov.uk/en/Environmentandgreenerliving/incdex.htm
	www. sharp. co.uk/page/solarhowtobuy
	We also raised awareness at a national and regional level through the issuing of a press release in December 2007 that focussed on the low carbon buildings programme.

Microgeneration

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what estimate he has made of the number of homes in  (a) Eastbourne constituency,  (b) East Sussex and  (c) the UK in which heat producing microgeneration systems have been installed in the last 10 years.

Malcolm Wicks: We commissioned a report in 2005, estimating that there were approximately 82,000 microgeneration installations in the UK, of which 80,156 were heat producing microgeneration systems. However, we are not able to provide a breakdown for the number of homes in Eastbourne or East Sussex.
	We are currently commissioning further research to provide up-to-date estimates.

Mining: Compensation

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many claims under the coal compensation scheme  (a) have been settled and  (b) remain to be settled.

Malcolm Wicks: As at March 2008, the Department has received 591,755 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease claims (COPD). Of these, 516,163 claims have been settled, leaving 75,592 outstanding.
	The Department has also received 169,612 vibration white finger claims (VWF). Of these, 164,137 have been settled, leaving 5,475 to be settled.
	We are working towards substantial completion of the schemes. For VWF, it is anticipated that around 300 claims will be outstanding by September 2008. For respiratory disease claims, a similar position is anticipated by summer 2009.

Nuclear Decommissioning Authority: Finance

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what proportion of his Department's  (a) annual budget and  (b) end-of-year flexibility funding was allocated to the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority in 2007-08.

Gareth Thomas: For the financial year 2007-08, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) represents 44 per cent. of the Department's total annual DEL (departmental expenditure limit) budget. Of the total available stock of the Department's end year flexibility at the time of this year's spring supplementary estimate, 43 per cent. was drawn down and allocated to NDA for 2007-08.

Nuclear Decommissioning Authority: Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what discussions his officials, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), and contractors for the NDA, have had with representatives of the United States Department of Energy's Idaho National Laboratory in respect of potential future collaboration on advanced reprocessing techniques.

Malcolm Wicks: There have been no such discussions.

Office of National Statistics: Finance

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much funding is provided by regional development agencies to support the Office for National Statistics' regional operations; and if he will make a statement.

Patrick McFadden: The RDAs have collectively provided 940,000 in 2007-08 to support the ONS' regional operations.

Oil: Prices

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform pursuant to the answer of 4 March 2008,  Official Report, columns 2263-64W, on oil: prices, what  (a) methodology was adopted and  (b) factors were taken into account, in producing assumptions for future oil prices, with particular reference to the forecast for oil prices between 2010 and 2020.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 10 March 2008
	The oil assumptions used by the Government for their analytical work are formulated through a consultation process. The consultation is available on the Department's website (http://www.berr.gov.uk/energy/environment/projections/index.html) and is open to anyone who wants to participate. As part of the consultation, industry experts and analysts across the Government are consulted, and information from a number of sources, including the International Energy Agency, are used. Factors such as the global demand and supply projections, price growth rate, etc. are considered in arriving at the oil assumptions.

Post Office: Expenditure

Michael Jabez Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform pursuant to the answer of 6 February 2008,  Official Report, column 1205W, on post office: expenditure, when the managing director of Post Office Ltd will reply to the hon. Member for Hastings and Rye.

Patrick McFadden: I understand that the managing director of Post Office Limited will reply shortly.

Regional Development Agencies

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform which regional development agency (RDA) board members declare their main residence to be within the region of the RDA on whose board they sit.

Patrick McFadden: Out of the total of 120 RDA board members, including chairs, 115 members declared their main residence to be within the region of the RDA on whose board they sit. This amounts to approximately 95 per cent. of all members. These figures exclude the London Development Agency as this is under the control of the Mayor for London.

Regional Development Agencies: Derelict Land

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many hectares of brownfield land were  (a) reclaimed and  (b) redeveloped by regional development agencies in the last year for which figures are available; what the value of that land was; and what percentage has since been (i) leased and (ii) sold to businesses.

Patrick McFadden: The RDAs have reclaimed and/or redeveloped a total of 894.60 hectares of brownfield land in 2006-07. The following table shows the amount of brownfield land, which RDAs have been involved in bringing back into use in 2006-07. These figures have been laid before Parliament in the RDA year-end outputs for 2006-07.
	Most of the RDA brownfield land outputs are secured via grant funding to other organisations to carry out projects which bring land back into use. On this basis the RDAs hold no data on the value of such land, or whether it has been leased or sold.
	
		
			  Hectares of brownfield land reclaimed and/or redeveloped 2006-07( 1) 
			  RDAs  
			 AWM 75 
			 EEDA 46 
			 EMDA 117 
			 LDA 82 
			 NWDA 299 
			 ONE 62.30 
			 SEEDA(2) 13 
			 SWRDA 86.30 
			 YF 114 
			 (1) RDAs do not record whether the land is reclaimed or redeveloped. Rather they record in their year-end outputs how match land has been brought back into use. (2) A shortfall against SEED A's brownfield land remediation targets in 2006-07 was caused by delays with delivery of some projects, which will create a surplus against the target range in 2007-08.

Renewable Energy

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the electricity generating capacity of installed I wind power,  (b) solar photovoltaics and  (c) geothermal technologies in the UK was in each of the last five years (i) in total and (ii) broken down by region; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: The available information is as shown in the following table. Regional data on a consistent basis are not available before 2003. In 2006 Scotland had 48 per cent. of the capacity to generate from wind, Wales had 18 per cent., the north west of England 7 per cent., the east of England 6 per cent. and Northern Ireland 5 per cent with the remaining 15 per cent. shared between the other seven English regions. While the overall growth in the capacity to generate from wind between 2003 and 2006 was 163 per cent. some regions experienced very big increases because they began from very low levels while increases in other regions were more modest.
	
		
			  Installed capacity of sites generating electricity from wind and solar photovoltaics, 2003 to 2006( 1) 
			  MW 
			   2003  2004  2005  2006 
			  Wind 
			 England 164.1 238.1 364.6 531.9 
			 East Midlands 1.3 (2) 6.1 54.6 
			 East 8.8 67.3 89.2 119.7 
			 North East 16.3 36.0 30.7 33.8 
			 North West 57.2 55.8 63.8 149.0 
			 London (3) (3) (2) (2) 
			 South East 1.7 (2) 93.4 93.4 
			 South West 43.9 43.9 45.1 45.2 
			 West Midlands (3) (3) (2) (2) 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 35.0 35.1 36.2 36.3 
			  
			 Wales 232.3 230.9 329.8 359.0 
			 Scotland 308.3 412.0 746.5 946.5 
			 Northern Ireland 37.9 45.2 117.5 110.2 
			 Other sites(4) (3) 7.5 3.6 3.7 
			 Micro wind generation (5) (5) 3.6 3.8 
			 UK total(6) 742.7 933.7 1,565.5 1,955.0 
			 Solar photovoltaics(7) 6.0 8.2 10.9 14.3 
			 (1) At the end of December each year. (2 )Data cannot be shown because of the small number of sites providing information for these cells. Instead the data are included under other sites (see note (4)). (3 )Nil or less than half the final digit shown. (4 )Other sites are sites that have not been attributed to a region so that data related to individual companies are not disclosed. (5 )Not available (6) Includes 0.5 MW of shoreline wave. (7) The solar photovoltaics figure for 2006 was revised in December 2007.  Note: Components may not add exactly to totals because of rounding.  Sources:  Energy Trends September 2007, pages 16 to 25. Tables 2, 5a, 6a and 7a of 'Renewable energy in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the regions of England in 2006'. 
		
	
	The estimated UK generating capacity of solar photovoltaics and micro wind generation are not available broken down by region. There is only one site using the energy from geothermal sources in the UK and this does not generate electricity.

Renewable Energy: Finance

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the annual turnover of the  (a) wind power,  (b) solar photovoltaics and  (c) geothermal technologies industries was in each of the last five years (i) in total and (ii) broken down by region; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department does not hold statistics for the annual turnover of the wind power, solar photovoltaics and geothermal technologies industries.

Renewable Energy: Manpower

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many people were employed in the  (a) wind power,  (b) solar photovoltaics and  (c) geothermal technologies industries in the UK in each of the last five years (i) in total and (ii) broken down by region; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department does not hold statistics on the numbers of people employed in the UK wind power, solar photovoltaics and geothermal technology industries during the last five years.

Renewable Energy: Standards

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment he has made of the UK's ability to meet its share of the 2020 EU renewable energy target.

Malcolm Wicks: Agreement has not yet been reached on the contribution that each member state (including the UK) will make toward the EU 2020 target, but we are fully committed to meeting our fair share. We will consult in the summer on policy options to meet our contribution and publish our full renewable energy strategy the following spring once the EU directive has been agreed.

Solar Power: Heating

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the total thermal capacity of installed solar heating technology in the UK was in each of the last five years  (a) in total and  (b) broken down by region; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: Available statistics on solar thermal heating cover its output rather than its capacity. These estimates are available only at the UK level and not regionally. They are:
	
		
			   Thousand tonnes of oil equivalent 
			 2002 16.1 
			 2003 19.8 
			 2004 24.6 
			 2005 29.4 
			 2006 36.3 
			  Source:  Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics, 2007, Table 7.7

Solar Power: Heating

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the annual turnover of the solar heating industry was in each of the last five years  (a) in total and  (b) broken down by region; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department does not hold the information on the annual turnover of the solar heating industry.

Solar Power: Heating

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many people were employed in the solar heating industry in each of the last five years  (a) in total and  (b) broken down by region; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department does not hold information on the number of people employed in the solar heating industry.

Training: Employment

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what discussions he has had with Ministerial colleagues in the Department for Work and Pensions on  (a) numbers and  (b) training of the local workforce in relation to the development of the (i) Oikos and (ii) Calor Gas Canvey Island site for (A) biodiesel and glycerine and (B) LNG transfer, processing and storage.

Malcolm Wicks: There has been no discussion with ministerial colleagues in the Department for Work and Pensions on these issues.

Wind Power

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will estimate the number of days annually on which wind speed is insufficient to provide any usable power from wind generation in each area in which wind farms are located.

Malcolm Wicks: No such assessment has been made, However, a windspeed database is available on BERR's website at:
	www.berr.gov.uk/energy/sources/renewables/explained/wind/windspeed-database/page27326.html.
	The geographical dispersion of wind farms means that the probability of having no wind across the entire country is extremely low.
	A 2005 report by the Environmental Change Institute of the university of Oxford, on behalf of the DTI (now BERR) found that a typical wind turbine will generate electricity for 80 per cent. of the time. Wind power availability is greater during winter than at other times of the year, and is on average stronger during the day than overnight.

Wind Power

Tom Levitt: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many Vestas-type wind turbines have been built in the UK; and what recent checks on their safety have been carried out.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department does not keep statistics according to the brand of wind turbine. However, according to the British Wind Energy Association the number of onshore and offshore Vestas-type wind turbines that have been erected in the UK to date is 1,182.
	Vestas carries out detailed safety inspections as part of a documented service and maintenance regime. In addition Vestas has taken the additional precautionary measure of implementing a Critical Component Inspection regime on all their turbines.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Afghanistan: Overseas Aid

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what formal mechanisms exist for non-governmental organisations funded by his Department to provide feedback on the effectiveness of UK aid in Afghanistan.

Shahid Malik: In the UK, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) meet quarterly with representatives of the UK Government on Afghanistan. These meetings are an opportunity for the UK Government to update NGO stakeholders on the UK strategy and progress in Afghanistan; and for the UK Government to receive feedback on all elements of the comprehensive approach, including on DFID's aid programme.
	In Afghanistan, 97 members from the national and international humanitarian, reconstruction and development NGOs community are co-ordinated by the agency co-ordinating body for Afghan relief (ACBAR). Some NGOs are implementers of DFID funded, but Government owned, national priority programmes. ACBAR are represented at monthly meetings of lead donors and Afghan Government representatives on the Government of Afghanistan's own plan for reconstruction and development, the Afghanistan national development strategy.

Burma: Overseas Aid

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the effect on the delivery of UK restrictions imposed by the Burmese military regime on international aid agencies working inside Burma.

Shahid Malik: All aid agencies working in Burma have to operate within a context of restrictions on travel by international staff and difficulties for international non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in obtaining memoranda of understanding (MOUs) from the Burmese regime.
	In recent weeks the regime has emphasised the importance it attaches to international NGOs in Burma operating strictly within the terms of their MOUs. In January, the Ministry of Health held a meeting to remind NGOs of their existing guidelines. Since then, most NGOs have been able to continue their work effectively. More recently however a number of NGOs have been asked to curtail particular aspects of their operations in some parts of the country. These additional restrictions appear to be related to the regime's sensitivities over external contacts with Burmese civil society in advance of the constitutional referendum planned for May.
	The Department for International Development, along with other donors in Burma, are keeping the situation closely under review.

Global Plan to Stop TB Partnership: Finance

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funding his Department plans to provide to the Global Plan to Stop TB Partnership for the financial years 2008 to 2010.

Gillian Merron: The Global Plan to Stop Tuberculosis (TB) is a roadmap for combating TB; it lays out the actions and resources needed to halve TB prevalence and deaths by 2015. It does not directly receive funding.
	The Department for International Development supports the Global Plan through several funding channels, including the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, UNITAID, the international drug purchase facility, and the Stop TB Partnership.
	The Department will shortly finalise its budget for the next three financial yearsincluding support to the Stop TB Partnership.

Sudan: Overseas Aid

Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the objectives of the Darfur community peace and stability fund are; when Government funding will be provided to the fund; whether non-governmental organisations will be involved in delivering the objectives of the fund; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: The Darfur community peace and stability fund (DCPSF) aims to support local level peace building and reconciliation through the provision of essential services and livelihood support. The fund will operate in areas where there is local security and where community leaders have committed to a dialogue on peace.
	The UK pledged 5 million to the DCPSF on 28 October 2007, and we expect to disburse 1 million by April 2008.
	The UK is on the DCPSF steering committee, which includes non-governmental organisations (NGOs), donors and the United Nations (UN). Projects will be implemented by NGOs and UN agencies.

UN Convention Against Corruption

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many  (a) successful and  (b) unsuccessful prosecutions have been brought since the adoption of the UN convention on corruption in cases related to the provisions of the convention.

Gareth Thomas: No specific statistics are held on prosecutions related to criminal offences covered by the UN convention against corruption.

JUSTICE

Departmental Pay

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much was claimed in reimbursable expenses by senior civil service staff in his Department and its agencies in the last 12-month period for which figures are available.

Maria Eagle: The Department has a team within its human resources division that deals with all SCS issues. This team does not keep records of reimbursable expenses. The information is not separately identifiable within the Department's accounts as there are no separate accounting lines for senior civil service staff.
	The information requested may be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Departments and agencies have authority to reimburse expenses incurred by their staff in connection with their employment, subject to the conditions set out in section 8 of the civil service management code which state that departments and agencies must:
	reimburse staff only for expenses which they actually and necessarily incur in the course of official business;
	comply with the additional conditions and rules on travel, relocation expenses, compensation for loss or damage to property, and overseas expenses set out in sections 8.2 to 8.6 of the Code; and
	ensure that their rules provide for claiming recompense, including verification and authorisation.
	All expenditure on expenses is made in accordance with published departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety that are based on the principles set out in Government Accounting and supported by the Department's published internal guidance.

Departmental Plants

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department spent on pot plants in each of the last five years.

Maria Eagle: The MoJ has spent the following amounts on pot plants in each of the last five years. A breakdown of the figures prior to and including the financial year 2004-2005 is not available and to obtain them would incur a disproportionate cost.
	
		
			(including VAT) 
			 2007-08 26,816.46 
			 2006-07 27,027.30 
			 2005-06 27,284.93 
			 2004-05 33,317.22 
			 2003-04 18,115.00 
			 Total 132,560.91

Departmental Public Expenditure

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether consideration has been given to applying gender-responsive budgeting to his Department's budget.

Michael Wills: The UK Government are supportive of efforts to achieve gender equality and continues to work very closely with both the Women's National Commission and the Women's Budget Group on promoting gender equality within the UK.
	In 2004, HM Treasury undertook a pilot project on gender analysis of expenditure with the Women's Budget Group. The project demonstrated the value of gender analysis in some areas and identified what tools and expertise were necessary within government to carry out gender analysis, but that further work was needed before gender responsive budgeting could be implemented.
	In 2008, HM Treasury will be conducting further work that will determine whether it is prudent and feasible to disaggregate Departmental expenditure statistics by gender.
	This Department takes seriously its responsibilities to promote equality of opportunity between men and women and to eliminate unlawful discrimination and harassment and will shortly be publishing its gender equality scheme, the first since the creation of the Ministry of Justice, which will set out a range of activity in support of these aims.

Departmental Travel

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the cost of travel undertaken by officials of his Department and its predecessor was in each year for which figures are available.

Maria Eagle: The spend on travel undertaken by officials is not separately identifiable in the Department's accounts.
	The Department's annual accounts show travel, subsistence, and hospitality in one line, and where it may be possible to separate the travel and subsistence element, to distinguish the travel element from this figure may be provided only at disproportionate costs.
	The Department has published rules for official travel in its staff handbook, and all travel is undertaken in accordance with the guidelines set out in the civil service management code.
	All ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code and 'Travel by Ministers', copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.

Departmental Travel

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how much his Department and its agencies spent on first-class travel in the last 12 months for which figures are available, broken down by staff grade;
	(2)  how much his Department and its agencies spent on  (a) first and  (b) other class travel by Eurostar in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Maria Eagle: It is not possible to list the costs spent on first class travel by the Department in the last 12 months as the expenditure is not separately identifiable within the Department's accounts and may be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
	Travel by Eurostar is not separately identifiable, as the Department does not book travel with Eurostar directly as a supplier. Central guidance states that all Departmental travel should be booked via our booking agent, and although we get itemised bills, these are coded to a general travel and subsistence expense code. The identification of Eurostar bookings may be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
	All ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the 'Ministerial Code' and 'Travel by Ministers', copies of which are available in the Library of the House for the reference of Members. All official travel by civil servants is undertaken in accordance with the requirements of the civil service management code, a copy of which is also available in the Library of the House for the reference of Members.

Written Questions

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many written Questions to his Department had not received an answer as at 25 February 2008 for  (a) between two and four,  (b) between four and six,  (c) between six and eight and  (d) more than eight weeks; and how many in each category were tabled for named day answer.

Maria Eagle: The information requested are in the following tables and include parliamentary questions tabled this session.
	
		
			  Ordinary w ritten  q uestions 
			   Answered  Percentage 
			 On time 773 74.98 
			 Up to 2 weeks 124 12.03 
			 2 to 4 weeks 62 6.01 
			 4 to 6 weeks 43 4.17 
			 6 to 8 weeks 20 1.94 
			 Over 8 weeks 9 0.87 
		
	
	
		
			  Named  d ay  q uestions 
			   Answered  Percentage 
			 On time 249 74.10 
			 Up to 2 weeks 65 19.35 
			 2 to 4 weeks 20 5.95 
			 4 to 6 weeks 1 0.3 
			 6 to 8 weeks 1 0.3 
			 Over 8 weeks 0 0.0

Magistrates Courts: Leeds

Nick Herbert: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when the inquiry into the resulting and warrant processes at Leeds magistrates court will report; and if he will make a statement.

Jack Straw: In my statement to the House on 29 November, I committed to publishing the joint inspectorate report and to making a statement to Parliament. The report was published on 11 March accompanied by a written ministerial statement.

Prisoners: Repatriation

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the average cost of repatriating foreign prisoners held in UK prisons in the last 12 months, broken down by country of origin.

Jack Straw: In 2007, foreign prisoners held in England an Wales were repatriated under prisoner transfer agreements to the following countries to continue serving their sentence:
	
		
			   Number 
			 Belgium 10 
			 Cyprus 2 
			 Dutch Antilles 5 
			 France 3 
			 Germany 2 
			 Ireland 5 
			 Italy 1 
			 Lithuania 1 
			 Norway 2 
			 The Netherlands 75 
			 Poland 1 
			 Spain 2 
			 Switzerland 1 
			 Turkey 1 
		
	
	In each case the flight and escort cost of transferring the prisoner from the United Kingdom to the receiving state was met by that state.
	The repatriation of prisoners from Scotland is a matter for Scottish Ministers and the repatriation of prisoners from Northern Ireland is a matter for the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

Prisons: Contracts

David Heath: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the value of the initial contract awarded to each contracted-out prison currently in operation was; and what the operational cost of each contracted-out prison was in each of the last five years.

Maria Eagle: Information on the value over the life of the contract and the expenditure for each contracted prison is provided in the following table. Information on expenditure has previously been published on the prison service website in the annual accounts 2002-03, National Offender Management Service website in the office for contracted prisons statement of performance for 2004-05 and 2005-06 and the pre-audited financial information for contracted and commercial service level agreement prisons 2006-07. Information for 2003-04 was previously provided in a written ministerial statement.
	
		
			 Expenditure () 
			  Prison  Date of award of contract  Value over the life of the contract( 1) ( million)  2006-07  2005-06  2004-05  2003-04  2002-03 
			 Altcourse (DCMF) 20 December 1995 247 over 25 years 33,836,207 31,782,463 31,220,612 32,739,936 32,154,593 
			 Ashfield (DCMF) 1 July 1998 121 over 25 years 19,984,049 19,808,188 16,706,138 13,662,084 9,820,999 
			 Bronzefield(2) (DCMF) 20 December 2002 219 over 25 years 21,170,132 20,065,025 (3) (3) (3) 
			 Doncaster (MO) 20 June 2000 140 over 10 years 21,455,301 20,367,274 19,230,566 19,097,051 19,252,815 
			 Dovegate (DCMF) 27 September 1999 240 over 25 years 23,238,361 23,234,391 23,060,909 23,584,223 24,511,442 
			 Forest Bank (DCMF) 6 July 1998 197 over 25 years 23,277,701 22,736,186 21,887,576 21,783,463 20,821,813 
			 Lowdham Grange (DCMF) 7 November 1996 137 over 25 years 13,741,280 13,094,659 12,941,163 13,004,116 13,159,649 
			 Parc (DCMF) 4 January 1996 266 over 25 years 36,939,202 33,539,477 32,365,812 32,529,421 31,322,995 
			 Peterborough(4 )(DCMF) 14 February 2003 291 over 25 years 26,308,125 (3) (3) (3) (3) 
			 Rye Hill (DCMF) 23 July 1999 154 over 25 years 14,746,072 14,722,833 14,401,669 14,935,111 14,103266 
			 Wolds (MO) 5 January 2003 45 over 10 years 8,070,803 6,861,220 7,097,441 6,776,755 8,504,900 
			 (1) The value over the life of the contract is based on the net present value (NPV) calculated for the winning bidder at the award of the contract. The NPV is a standard method used for the financial appraisal of long-term projects and is calculated in accordance with the HM Treasury Green Book. This information has previously been published. There is no direct relationship between the annual value of the contract shown and the NPV for the whole life of the contract. (2) HMP Bronzefield did not open until June 2004. Part year information was excluded from the analysis. (3) Not open. (4) HMP Peterborough did not open until March 2005. Part year information was excluded from the analysis.  Note: Expenditure figures have different elements included reflecting different management and financing arrangements for:  Manage Only (MO) establishments, the expenditure figures include: Payment to contractors Controller Team based at establishment  Design, Construct, Manage and Finance (DCMF) expenditure figures include: As aforementioned for Manage Only Adjustment for the capital repayment element in contractual payments.

Prisons: Contracts

David Heath: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the cost of each contracted-out prison has been  (a) per prison place and  (b) per prisoner in each of the last five years.

Maria Eagle: Information on the cost per prison place and per prisoner in each contracted prison is provided in the following table. Information has previously been published on the Prison Service website in the annual accounts 2002-03, the NOMS website in the office for contracted prisons statement of performance for 2004-05 and 2005-06 and the pre-audited financial information for contracted and commercial SLA prisons 2006-07. Information for the financial year 2003-04 was previously provided in a written ministerial statement.
	
		
			   
			   2006-07  2005-06  2004-05  2003-04  2002-03 
			   Cost per place  Cost per prisoner  Cost per place  Cost per prisoner  Cost per place  Cost per prisoner  Cost per place  Cost per prisoner  Cost per place  Cost per prisoner 
			 Altcourse (DCMF) 55,108 32,947 51,763 33,141 50,848 32,488 53,322 32,871 52,369 32,786 
			 Ashfield (DCMF) 49,960 54,304 48,669 60,025 41047 59,032 33,568 49,144 24,130 36,806 
			 Bronzefield(1) (DCMF) 47,045 50,285 44,490 47,774 (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) 
			 Doncaster (MO) 27,828 19,312 26,417 18,999 24,942 17,627 24,769 1,7205 24,971 17,163 
			 Dovegate (DCMF) 29,048 28,619 29,043 28,684 28,826 27,919 27,424 27,779 30,639 32,519 
			 Forest Bank (DCMF) 29,097 22,212 28,420 22,269 27,359 21,479 27,229 21,697 26,027 20,599 
			 Lowdham Grange (DCMF) 27,264 25,447 25,981 25,576 25,677 25,375 25,802 24,912 26,110 25,413 
			 Parc (DCMF) 44,080 34,914 39,976 33,742 38,577 32,859 41,281 33,193 37,830 32,115 
			 Peterborough(3 )(DCMF) 31,319 30,626 (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) 
			 Rye Hill (DCMF) 24,577 24,455 24,538 24,954 24,003 22,538 24,892 22,767 23,505 21,504 
			 Wolds (MO) 25,221 21,638 20,855 23,258 21,507 20,572 21,861 19,700 24,635 19,170 
			 (1) HMP Bronzefield opened during 2004-05, part year information was excluded from the analysis. (2) Not open. (3) HMP Peterborough opened during 2005-06, part year information was excluded from the analysis.  Note: (DCMF): Design, Construct, Manage and Finance. (MO): Manage Only.

Prisons: Coroners

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much was spent by his Department on legal representation and advice on each coroner's case into a death in prison service establishments (including secure training centres) in each of the last four years.

Maria Eagle: Inquests into deaths in prison custody are inquisitorial fact-finding processes, heard by a Coroner with a jury. The information is not available in the requested format but HM Prison Service's legal costs since April 2004 are as provided in the following table. They include the costs of the Treasury Solicitor, Counsels' fees and other disbursements. Comparable legal costs in respect of secure training centres are mostly incurred by the private companies that run the centres.
	
		
			  Prison service inquest costs 
			
			 2004-05 901,000 
			 2005-06 1,547,000 
			 2006-07 1,670,000 
			 2007-08 1,962,000 
			 Total 6,080.000

Rape: Convictions

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many people  (a) were convicted of rape and not given a custodial sentence between 1992 and April 1997 and  (b) have been so convicted and not given a custodial sentence since May 1997;
	(2)  how many people convicted of rape in the last three years were  (a) under 18,  (b) 19 to 25,  (c) 26 to 35,  (d) 36 to 45,  (e) 46 to 55,  (f) 56 to 65 and  (g) 66 years and over;
	(3)  how many convictions for rape there were in  (a) 2005,  (b) 2006 and  (c) 2007; and how many charges of rape were brought in each year;
	(4)  what percentage of people prosecuted for rape were convicted of that offence in  (a) 2005,  (b) 2006 and  (c) 2007.

Maria Eagle: The information requested is in the following table. The number of offenders convicted of rape who can be detained indefinitely more than tripled between 2004 and 2006. The figures include those convicted of an offence of rape, under section 1 of the sexual offences Act 2003, and those convicted of an offence of rape of a child under 13, under section 5 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003.
	Charging information is not held by my Department.
	Court proceedings data for 2007 will be available in the autumn of 2008.
	
		
			  Number of persons proceeded against at magistrates courts, convicted at all courts for rape offences, broken down by age group, and the percentage of persons prosecuted who were found guilty of rape in England and Wales for the years 2004 to 2006( 1,2,3,4) 
			   Proceeded against  Found guilty  Percentage prosecuted who were found guilty 
			  Age group  2004  2005  2006  2004  2005  2006  2004  2005  2006 
			 10-17 254 305 229 30 73 71 12 24 31 
			 18 98 100 101 8 18 23 8 18 23 
			 19-25 567 534 532 148 127 142 26 24 27 
			 26-35 591 648 556 141 144 167 24 22 30 
			 36-45 512 553 486 148 171 188 29 31 39 
			 46-55 233 247 235 96 75 90 41 30 38 
			 56-65 146 112 129 45 59 55 31 53 43 
			 66 and over 52 59 67 28 27 18 54 46 27 
			 Total 2,453 2,558 2,335 644 694 754 26 27 32 
			 (1) These data are on the principal offence basis. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (3) Includes the following statute: The Sexual Offences Act 2003, Sections 1 and 5. (4) The Sexual Offences Act 2003 came into force on 1 May 2004.  Source: Court proceedings database held by RDS Office for Criminal Justice ReformMinistry of Justice Our ref: PQ 188570, 188607 and 188608 (table 1) 
		
	
	
		
			  Number of persons convicted of rape and not given a custodial sentence in England and Wales for the years 1992 to 2006( 1,2,3) 
			   Found guilty 
			 1992 33 
			 1993 23 
			 1994 16 
			 1995 26 
			 1996 15 
			 1997 12 
			 1998 14 
			 1999 16 
			 2000 17 
			 2001 14 
			 2002 11 
			 2003 15 
			 2004 20 
			 2005 40 
			 2006 44 
			 (1) These data are on the principal offence basis. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (3) Staffordshire police force were only able to submit sample data for persons proceeded against and convicted in the magistrates courts for the year 2000. Although sufficient to estimate higher orders of data, these data are not robust enough at a detailed level and have been excluded from the table.  Source: Court proceedings database held by RDS Office for Criminal Justice ReformMinistry of Justice Our ref: PQ 188499 (table 2)

Secure Training Centres: Restraint Techniques

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what response has been made to the Rule 43 report made on 20 July 2007 by HM Coroner Judge Pollard following the inquest into the death of 15-year-old Gareth Myatt.

David Hanson: My right hon. Friend the Minister for Children, Young People and Families (Beverley Hughes) and I intend to announce shortly the action we have taken and are taking in response to the coroner's recommendations.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan: Drugs

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of  (a) the volume of (i) cannabis and (ii) opium production and  (b) the area of land under cultivation for (A) cannabis and (B) opium production in Afghanistan in each year since 1998; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) conducts annual surveys of opium cultivation in Afghanistan. While UNODC does not conduct specific cannabis cultivation surveys in Afghanistan, it provides estimates based upon interviews with village elders while undertaking its opium survey. We remain concerned by the total opium cultivation figures, but welcome the UNODC's findings that it expects cultivation to decrease slightly in 2008. Poppy cultivation has increased primarily in the south, where insecurity is greatest. Where security, alternative livelihoods and governance exists, poppy cultivation has fallen: in 2007, the number of poppy free provinces doubled from six to 13. This year we hope to see further progress and support the Government of Afghanistan's target of over half of all provinces going poppy free in 2008. The following data is drawn from the UNODC surveys.
	
		
			   Potential total volume of opium production (metric tonnes)  Estimated opium cultivation (hectares)  Opium poppy as a percentage of agricultural land  Estimated cannabis cultivation (hectares) 
			 2007 8,200 193,000 4 70,000 
			 2006 6,100 165,000 4 50,000 
			 2005 4,100 104,000 2 30,000 
			 2004 4,200 131,000 3 (1) 
			 2003 3,600 80,000 2 (1) 
			 2002 3,400 74,000 1 (1) 
			 2001 185 8,000 (2) (1) 
			 2000 3,276 82,172 (2) (1) 
			 1999 4,565 91,983 (2) (1) 
			 1998 2,693 64,674 (2) (1) 
			 (1 )Not recorded. (2) Date not available.

Burma: Ethnic Groups

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on the assassination of the General Secretary of the Karen National Union, Padoh Mahn Sha Lah Phan;
	(2)  what steps he has taken to raise the assassination of the General Secretary of the Karen National Union  (a) with the regime in Burma,  (b) with the Royal Thai Government and  (c) the United Nations.

Meg Munn: The death of the Secretary-General of the Karen National Union, Pado Mahn Sha, on 14 February, further underlines the need for a comprehensive and equitable settlement of Burma's ethnic conflicts. The failure of the regime's roadmap to meet the aspirations of the ethnic groups, including the Karen, for a greater degree of autonomy, is fuelling internal divisions and violence.
	We continue to raise a range of issues relating to the ethnic groups with our partners in the region, internationally and with representatives of the ethnic groups themselves, including the exile community. I raised the issue of the death of Pado Mahn Sha with the Thai Minister of Interior during my visit to Thailand on 29 February. Meeting the aspirations of the ethnic groups was a fundamental demand in the UN presidential statement of 11 October 2007.

Burma: Ethnic Groups

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions the Government has had with the Karen National Union on  (a) the security and humanitarian situation in Karen State and  (b) the political situation in Burma.

Meg Munn: We remain engaged with a wide range of stakeholders and representatives of the ethnic groups in Burma. We are concerned about the situation in Karen State. Attacks carried out by the Burmese army on civilians in northern and western Karen State have been particularly intense over the past two years These have resulted in a significant increase in the number of internally displaced people and refugees on the Thai/Burmese border We have repeatedly called for a halt to such offensives and have urged both the military regime and the Karen National Union to intensify their efforts to find a peaceful settlement that will bring about a permanent end to the conflict. We continue to support Aung San Suu Kyi's statement of 8 November 2007 calling for a genuine national dialogue between the government, opposition parties and ethnic groups in Burma. We believe that this statement is all the more relevant in light of the regime's announcement to hold a referendum on the constitution in May 2008 and elections in 2010. If the process is to lead to national reconciliation and stability, it must allow for the full participation of opposition and ethnic groups.

Burma: Sanctions

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on targeted financial sanctions on those associated with the military regime in Burma.

Meg Munn: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my hon. Friend the Minister for the Middle East (Dr. Howells) gave on 26 February 2008,  Official Report, columns 1363-64W to the hon. Member for Mid-Norfolk (Mr. Simpson).
	The EU listed companies with links to the Burmese military regime in its new package of measures agreed in October 2007.
	EU member states are currently considering further restrictive measures against Burma.

Burma: Sanctions

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby (Mr. Mitchell) of 4 March 2008,  Official Report, column 2355W, on Burma: sanctions, by what means options for extending existing measures against members of the military regime in Burma to include targeted banking sanctions are being considered; and by what date he expects such consideration to be complete.

Meg Munn: The EU common position on Burma includes a ban on investment and the provision of financial services to certain enterprises linked to the military regime. It also includes an asset freeze, which targets the regime leadership, the senior ranks of the military and their family members.
	The UK is still exploring with its EU partners how best to target financial transactions owned or controlled by Burmese officials. As discussions are still continuing I am unable to comment on specific nominations under discussion as to do so could risk asset flight.
	No date has yet been set to present the conclusions of these discussions.

China: Human Rights

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when a Chinese delegation last visited the UK as part of the UK-China human rights dialogue; when he expects such a delegation to next visit the UK; and with what frequency such visits have taken place in the last three years.

Meg Munn: A Chinese delegation last visited the UK as part of the 15th round of the UK-China human rights dialogue in February 2007. The dialogue rotates between London and Beijing and we expect to receive the next Chinese delegation as part of the 17th round in the UK later this year. There have been two UK visits as part of the dialogue in the last three years. In addition, during our presidency of the EU, the UK hosted a third visit in December 2005 as part of the EU-China human rights dialogue. Outside this process, we continue to welcome a range of Chinese delegations with interests in governance and rule of law issues.

Colombia: Radioactive Materials

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of recent claims by the Government of Colombia alleging the intention of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia to produce a radioactive explosive; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: We are aware of the Colombian Government's statement that they have come into the possession of information suggesting that the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) has been seeking to obtain uranium. It would be a great concern if the FARC, a terrorist organisation proscribed by the EU, was involved in the procurement of radioactive material. We will monitor this situation closely.

Committee on the Grant of Honours Decorations and Medals

Don Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what rules govern appointments to the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals;
	(2)  what criteria he applies in appointing members to the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals.

Meg Munn: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is not responsible for the committee or for appointments to the committee. Appointments are made on an ex officio basis. The Secretariat for the committee is based in the Cabinet Office.
	Members of the committee serve on an ex officio basis, as follows:
	Secretary of the Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood;
	Defence Services Secretary;
	Permanent Secretary, Home Office;
	Permanent Under-Secretary, Foreign and Commonwealth Office,
	Her Majesty The Queen's Private Secretary;
	Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence; and
	Head of the Home Civil Service and Cabinet Secretary is the Chair.

Committee on the Grant of Honours Decorations and Medals

Don Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how often the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals meets; and where the minutes of its meetings are published.

Meg Munn: The committee normally transacts business by correspondence. It met three times during 2005 and 2006 to consider papers relating to the programme of reform of the honours system. Minutes are not published.

Committee on the Grant of Honours Decorations and Medals

Don Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what criteria the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals uses when making recommendations to Her Majesty on whether foreign campaign medals may be accepted; and whether these criteria have ever been set aside.

Meg Munn: The criteria are set out in the Government's rules governing the acceptance and wearing of foreign orders, decorations and dedals by citizens of the UK and her overseas territories. The Pingat Jasa Malaysia required a special exception in 2006. Similar exceptions were made for medals from the Saudi and Kuwaiti Governments after the first gulf war, as well as for the Greek War Medal, in 1992.
	I will arrange for copies of the rules governing the acceptance and wearing of foreign orders, decorations and medals by citizens of the UK and her overseas territories to be placed in the Library of the House.

Cyprus

Hywel Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Greek and Turkish governments to encourage reconciliation in Cyprus following the Cypriot presidential election.

Jim Murphy: The new Government in Cyprus, and its declared aim of making rapid progress towards a negotiated settlement which reunifies the island, has inspired hope in both communities in Cyprus, and sympathetic interest worldwide. Our contacts with the Governments of Greece and Turkey confirm that they too wish to capitalise on this sense of hope. We will continue to urge all parties with an interest in Cyprus to support the efforts of the UN, and to seize the opportunities presented this year.

Democratic Republic of Congo: Politics and Government

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the possible impact of the International Criminal Court's investigations of  (a) Mathieu Ngudjolo,  (b) Germain Katanga and  (c) Thomas Lubanga on the security situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: The arrests of Mathieu Ngudjolo, Germain Katanga and Thomas Lubanga send a strong message that the international community is determined to hold those guilty of atrocities in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to account for their actions. Efforts to prosecute militia leaders who commit the most serious abuses against the civilian population in DRC should continue, both as a matter of justice for their victims and to serve as a deterrent against future acts of violence. There is no evidence that the inquiries into Ngudjolo, Katanga and Lubanga by the International Criminal Court have had any impact on security in DRC.

Departmental Databases

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether  (a) companies based in the United States and  (b) UK subsidiaries of US companies have been contracted by his Department and its agencies to provide services involving the use, storage, processing or analysis of databases of personal information held by the Government on UK citizens in the last five years.

Meg Munn: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), including its agencies, has engaged US registered service providers and subsidiaries of US registered service providers to manage aspects of the storage, processing or analysis of personal information.
	The Data Protection Act 1998 includes provisions to ensure that personal data benefits from adequate protection when it is transferred outside the European economic area by UK data controllers, FCO guidance is designed to ensure that contracts are consistent with UK contract law with the applicable statutory safeguards.

Departmental Official Cars

Fraser Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what make and model of car  (a) he and  (b) each Minister in his Department selected as their official ministerial car; and what criteria were applied when making the decision in each case.

Meg Munn: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Jim Fitzpatrick) gave to him on 10 March 2008,  Official Report, column 8W.

Departmental Property

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many residential properties his Department owns in the United Kingdom; how many of these are vacant; and how many of these have been vacant for longer than  (a) three,  (b) six and  (c) 12 months.

Meg Munn: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not own any residential property in the United Kingdom.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether consideration has been given to applying gender responsive budgeting to his Department's budget.

Meg Munn: The Government are supportive of efforts to achieve gender equality and continue to work very closely with both the Women's National Commission and the Women's Budget Group on promoting gender equality within the UK.
	In 2004, HM Treasury undertook a pilot project on gender analysis of expenditure with the Women's Budget Group. The project demonstrated the value of gender analysis in some areas and identified what tools and expertise were necessary within Government to carry out gender analysis, but that further work was needed before gender responsive budgeting could be implemented.
	In 2008, HM Treasury will be conducting further work that will determine whether it is prudent and feasible to disaggregate departmental expenditure statistics by gender.
	The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), for its part, supports a wide range of global initiativesbilateral and multilateralto tackle the barriers to gender equality including gender stereotyping, violence against women, social and cultural attitudes and discriminatory laws and practices. These initiatives include funding projects overseas which protect and promote women's rights, playing an active role as an elected member of the UN Commission on the Status of Women and in other international forums including the EU and the Council of Europe, supporting their respective initiatives on gender equality, and maintaining a regular dialogue with Governments to help improve the human rights situation for women world-wide.
	As part of the FCO's gender equality scheme, published in April 2007, the FCO is considering how best to champion world-wide the convention on the elimination of discrimination against women and the UN General Assembly resolution (A/RES/61/143), adopted in December 2006, on violence against women.
	The FCO's view is that gender should not always be seen as an isolated policy area, unconnected to our other work. As such we have sought to mainstream gender into foreign policy, wherever possible and appropriate, byfor examplesupporting and encouraging the involvement of women in peace negotiations, reconciliation work and in political and public life more broadly.
	In all its work to promote gender equality the FCO works closely with other Government Departments, particularly the Department for International Development and the Department for Communities and Local Government, as well as non- governmental organisations active in this sector and the Women's National Commission.

Departmental Sick Pay

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the cost of sickness pay to staff within his Department was in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Meg Munn: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) pays staff who are absent due to sickness their normal salary initially. Once staff have been absent for six months, within a rolling period of 12 months, they are paid half their normal salary. Staff on sick leave may continue to receive salary at half rate for up to six months in a four-year period before they cease to receive any salary.
	In 2007 the FCO paid an estimated total of 2,152,183 in salary to UK-appointed staff during periods when they were absent from work due to sickness. This figure does not include statutory sick pay.

Embassies: Waste Management

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether  (a) foreign embassies which are composite hereditaments and  (b) domestic properties which are solely occupied by diplomats will be liable to pay charges for the collection of household waste.

Meg Munn: The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is responsible for the Climate Change Bill, including proposed charges for the collection of household rubbish.
	Diplomats' liability to pay dues, taxes and charges is dependent on the exact terms of any relevant legislation and our obligations under the 1961 Vienna convention on diplomatic relations. This will be considered at the appropriate stage.

Iran: Oppression

Hywel Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Iranian government to encourage that government to lift the ban on democratic opposition organisations; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: Encouraging respect for fundamental human rights and political freedoms is a key element of our approach towards Iran. We do not take sides in Iran's internal political debatesthese are for Iranians themselves to resolvebut together with the EU we seek to promote the internationally recognised principles to which many Iranians aspire including freedom of speech and transparent, genuinely democratic and accountable government. Our work to assist the development of civil society around the world will continue in support of this goal. The Iranian people should be given a genuine democratic choice about their country's future.

Iran: Trade Unions

Hywel Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Iranian government in support of the rights of Iranian trade unionists; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: We remain concerned about the Iranian Government's action against trade unionists defending workers' rights in Iran. The Government and the EU consistently raise concerns about the repression and detention of labour rights activists with the Iranian authorities. My hon. Friend the Minister for the Middle East, (Dr. Howells) expressed our serious concerns to the Iranian ambassador when prominent trade unionist Mansour Ossanlou was arrested last July, The EU presidency, with strong UK support, also expressed concerns about Mr. Ossanlou's situation with the Iranian authorities in Tehran on at least five occasions last year. The EU presidency raised labour activist Mahmoud Salehi's detention at least four times. Mr. Salehi was the subject of a further EU demarche on 22 January and an EU presidency declaration on 28 January. Most recently on the International Trade Union Confederation global day of action in support of Iranian workers on 6 March, my hon. Friend the Minister for the Middle East (Dr. Howells) issued a statement calling on the Iranian Government to immediately release Mr. Ossanlou and Mr. Salehi, and urged Iran to
	respect fully the right to form or join trade unions, in accordance with its commitments as a member of the International Labour Organisation and the international human rights conventions it has ratified.

Middle East: Armed Conflict

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of chemicals used to make explosives and propellants for rockets and bombs being smuggled into Gaza disguised as EU aid; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: We are aware of reports that attempts were made to bring potassium nitrate into Gaza in sugar bags labelled as European Union Aid. The UK welcomes the European Commission's statement on this issue on 30 December 2007 that:
	Based on the information received, it appears that these bags cannot be confused with any kind of European Union humanitarian aid. We would consider it an isolated criminal act and we condemn it.
	The European Union distributes its food aid through UN agencies, rather than directly.

Middle East: Armed Conflict

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the recent conflict between Israel and Palestine in Gaza and consequent civilian deaths; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: The Government remain deeply concerned about the recent escalation of violence in Gaza and southern Israel. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary issued a statement on 2 March, regarding the rise in the number of rocket attacks into Israel. The statement stressed the need for all sides in the conflict, and the international community to keep the political process alive. We also support the UN Secretary-General's call for all parties to step back from the brink of even deeper and more deadly clashes.
	The full text of the statement is available on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website at:
	http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Fron?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPagec=Pagecid=1007029391629a=KArticleaid= 1203947188494.

Middle East: Armed Conflict

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on which occasions his Department issued criticisms of  (a) Hamas and  (b) Hezbollah for firing rockets into the State of Israel; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: My hon. Friend the Minister for the Middle East (Dr. Howells) issued statements on 27 and 28 February condemning unreservedly the barrage of rockets on southern Israel from Gaza, that left one man dead and several others injured. In addition, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary issued a statement condemning the rocket attacks on 2 March. There can be no justification for the almost daily rocket and mortar attacks on Sderot and the surrounding area. The Government continue to call on all Palestinian factions to stop attacks, including rocket attacks, which target civilians and only escalate an already tense situation. At the same time, Israel must ensure its actions are in accordance with international law. It is important that all parties find a way to restore calm, for the sake of the populations on both sides. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary spoke to the Israeli Defence Minister, Ehud Barak, conveying his deep concerns and condolences on 28 February.
	During the 2006 conflict between Hezbollah and Israel the UK issued numerous statements condemning the firing of rockets by Hezbollah into Israel. During the 2006 conflict we also repeatedly called on Israel to ensure its response was proportionate and avoided civilian casualties. Since the 2006 conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, we are not aware of any instances when Hezbollah has fired rockets into Israel.

Middle East: Armed Conflict

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on which occasions his Department issued criticisms of the response of the government of Israel to rocket attacks by  (a) Hamas and  (b) Hezbollah in each of the last two years; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: We have issued numerous statements on rocket attacks from Gaza. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary's statement on 2 March made clear, Israel must ensure its actions in response to rocket and other attacks are in accordance with international law. It is important that all parties find a way to restore calm, for the sake of the populations on both sides. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary spoke to the Israeli Defence Minister, Ehud Barak, conveying his concerns on 28 February.
	During the 2006 conflict we also repeatedly called on Israel to ensure its response was proportionate and avoided civilian casualties. Since the 2006 conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, we are not aware of any instances when Hezbollah has fired rockets into Israel.
	Details of official statements issued by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), including an archive, are available in the news section of the FCO website:
	www.fco.gov.uk.

Middle East: Armed Conflict

Hywel Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether  (a) the UK and  (b) other countries through the UN have organised medical aid to assist the casualties in the recent Gaza-Israel conflict; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: We are deeply concerned about the recent escalation of violence in Gaza and Southern Israel. In the Gaza strip, emergency medical assistance is mainly provided by the Palestinian Ministry of Health, the Palestinian Medical Relief Society and the Palestinian Red Crescent Society. The Government support the Ministry of Health through the European Commission's funding mechanism known as PEGASE (Palestine European De Gestion Et D'aide Socio-Economique). The Department for International Development has provided 41.6 million to Palestinians in 2007-08 with 18.45 million going through the PEGASE and the temporary international mechanism this financial year. In addition, the International Committee of the Red Cross, World Health Organisation and the UN Relief and Works Agency regularly import medicines into the Gaza strip.

Middle East: Armed Conflict

Hywel Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the parties concerned to bring about a Gaza-Israel ceasefire; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: My hon. Friend the Minister for the Middle East, Dr. Howells, issued statements on 27 February and 28 February about the situation in Gaza and southern Israel. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary also issued two statements on 2 March and 6 March condemning the recent violence in Gaza and southern Israel.
	My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has spoken with the Israeli Foreign and Defence Ministers and the President of the Palestinian Authority to convey his deep concerns and condolences. Despite recent difficulties, we urge both parties to resist efforts to derail the peace process and are committed to supporting them in meeting their obligations. We hope to see a swift resumption of negotiations under the Annapolis process.

Middle East: Armed Conflict

Hywel Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to support international action through the United Nations to bring about a Gaza-Israel ceasefire.

Meg Munn: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary spoke with the UN Secretary-General on 7 March to discuss the recent violence in Gaza and southern Israel. A long-term solution to the crisis in Gaza can only come from a political process. Recent events make it all the more important for the parties, and the international community, to support the Annapolis process. All our efforts are behind this. We are working with all parties who support the two-state solution.

Middle East: Armed Conflict

Hywel Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take steps to encourage the European Union to call for a ceasefire in the Israel-Gaza conflict.

Meg Munn: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed this issue with his European ministerial colleagues at the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council on 10 March 2008. The EU continues to play an important political role through its membership of the Quartet (US, UN, EU, Russia) providing political and economic support to the Annapolis process. The EU has consistently called for an end to violence and a peaceful, negotiated two-state solution.

Nigeria: Armed Conflict

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions  (a) he,  (b) members of his Department and  (c) UK representatives in Abuja have had with the Government of Nigeria on the failure of peace talks with militant groups in the Niger delta; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: Our high commissioner in Abuja discussed the situation in the Niger delta with President Yar'Adua in January. Following this, and ongoing discussion with Nigerian Government officials in Abuja and London, we are not aware that dialogue between the Nigerian Government and militant groups in the Niger delta has come to an end. A meeting on the Gulf of Guinea energy security strategy (to include UK and Nigerian Government representatives) is scheduled for later this month and there are still plans for a Niger delta summit, which would engage the Nigerian Government and communities in the region in structured dialogue.

Nigeria: Peace Negotiations

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance his Department has  (a) offered and  (b) provided to the government of Nigeria on (i) President Umaru Yar' Adua's peace initiative in Niger delta and (ii) a renewed attempt to initiate peace talks; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: It is important that the Nigerian authorities provide a strong lead in finding a solution to the problems of the Niger delta. However, the UK remains open to discussing ways in which we can add value. The underlying causes of the crisis in the delta remain poor governance, instability and underdevelopment All of these must be addressed if a sustainable peace is to be realised. The UK has offered its support in all these areas and continues to encourage the Nigerian government to address the situation in the Niger delta as a priority. The UK supports a number of projects in the Niger delta, including on community empowerment and government transparency. We continue to urge all parties to engage in peaceful dialogue towards the resolution of the problems of the Niger delta.

Nigeria: Peace Negotiations

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports his Department has received of the peace talks between the Nigeria Government and militant groups in the Niger delta; what assessment his Department has made of the possibility of the re-engagement of all parties in peace talks; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: We are aware of ongoing discussion between the Nigerian Government and various militant groups in the Niger delta. The UK will continue to urge all parties to engage in peaceful dialogue towards the resolution of the problems of the Niger delta.

Nigeria: Politics and Government

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports his Department has received on the abduction of a German construction worker in the Niger delta; how many UK citizens are  (a) working and  (b) resident in the Niger delta; what assessment his Department has made of the security situation in the Niger delta since 2006; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) received reports that a German national was kidnapped approximately 30 km west of Port Harcourt on 4 March 2008. He was taken into creeks in the Niger delta but was released 12 hours later into state security service custody. Three members of his escort team were killed during the abduction attack. Currently 803 British nationals are registered with our high commission in Abuja as residing in the Niger delta (Delta, Rivers and Bayelsa states), Most of these residents work in the oil industry. Registration with our high commission is voluntary, though the high commission has an ongoing strategy to encourage UK nationals to register.
	The abduction of the German national on 4 March 2008 was the first kidnap of an expatriate in the Niger delta since 21 October 2007. Since January 2006, however, 36 British nationals, including one child, and more than 180 other foreign nationals have been kidnapped in the Niger Delta area, with one British national being killed. Despite the lull in expatriate kidnappings since October 2007, kidnappings of Nigerian nationals have continued, as have threats and attacks against oil installations The FCO continues to advise against all travel to the Niger delta (Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers states, including Port Harcourt) and advises British nationals in these states to leave. We also advise against all travel to riverine areas of Cross River state and against all but essential travel to Akwa Ibom state because of the high risk of kidnapping, armed robbery and other armed attacks.

Treaty of Lisbon: Referendums

Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information the Government has obtained from surveys and opinion polls on the opinions of  (a) hon. Members and  (b) the public on a referendum on amendments to the European treaties.

Jim Murphy: The Government have not obtained any information from surveys and opinion polls on the opinion of hon. Members on a referendum Lisbon treaty.
	The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has not commissioned any opinion polling on the Lisbon treaty.

Uganda: Politics and Government

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the possible impact of the International Criminal Court's (ICC) investigation of Joseph Kony on  (a) the possibility of a peace agreement between the Lord's Resistance Army and the Government of Uganda,  (b) the credibility and effectiveness of the ICC and  (c) possible peace and reconciliation efforts in Uganda; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: The Government strongly support the International Criminal Court and believe that its investigation in Uganda has helped to bring the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) to the negotiating table. We welcome the progress made by the Government of Uganda and the LRA and are encouraged by reports that the two sides will sign a final peace agreement by the end of the month. Justice is an essential part of a sustainable peace and it is vital that those responsible for the terrible crimes committed during the conflict in northern Uganda are held to account.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what  (a) operational control,  (b) administrative control,  (c) technical control and  (d) other command relationship there is between British and non-British forces operating in Helmand Province at the (i) company and (ii) platoon level; and what the nationality is of each unit.

Bob Ainsworth: Permanently operating in Helmand within the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) command structure under the operational control of Task Force Helmand, a British HQ, are deployments from:
	Denmark (a battle group)
	Estonia (a single company)
	A number of small specialist units from other nations also come under the Command of Commander Task Force Helmand. Other non-UK units may, on occasion, temporarily deploy into Helmand province for specific missions: the precise command relationships with these units will vary dependent on the specific nature of their operational taskings.
	The Afghan National Army (ANA) currently deploys five units of battalion size or greater, which include many companies and platoons, in Helmand province. Their operations are closely coordinated with ISAF operations, including through the use of Operational Mentoring, Liaison and Training Teams, although there is no formal command relationship between ISAF and ANA units.

Armed Forces: EU Institutions

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 3 March 2008,  Official Report, column 2052W, on the armed forces: EU institutions, who the permanent Chairman of the EU Military Committee is.

Bob Ainsworth: The current permanent chairman of the EU Military Committee is General Henri Bentgeat.
	Information about the EU Military Committee can be found on the Council of the EU website at:
	http://www.consilium.europa.eu/

Armed Forces: Uniforms

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what guidance his Department has issued to the base commander at RAF Wittering on service personnel wearing uniforms off base; when such guidance was issued; what the evidential basis for the guidance was; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: No additional guidance was issued other than the existing rules set out in Queen's Regulations chapter 6 'Uniform and Dress' (last amended February 2005) and Air Publication 1358 'Uniform, Dress and Appearance Regulations' (last amended February 2008) and Joint Service Publication 440 'Defence Manual of Security' (last updated July 2007). This gives Station Commanders the discretion, where appropriate, to instruct their personnel not to wear service uniform off base.

Armed Forces: Uniforms

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department consulted  (a) Cambridgeshire Constabulary,  (b) Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and  (c) Peterborough city council before issuing advice to RAF Wittering on the wearing of service uniforms off base.

Derek Twigg: The RAF did consult with Cambridgeshire Constabulary regarding the issue of the wearing of uniform off base. Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Peterborough city council were not involved in this process. Having been briefed on the background to this action, the Mayor of Peterborough and Cambridgeshire police issued a joint statement on 11 March supporting the decision.

Army: Deployment

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the average unit tour interval was for each Corps of the Army in the latest period for which figures are available.

Bob Ainsworth: I refer the hon. Member to my answers on 26 November 2007,  Official Report, column 3W, and on 31 January 2008,  Official Report, columns 523-24W.
	No significant unit deployments have taken place since these answers were given and nothing has therefore changed in the meantime that would affect average tour interval calculations.

British Overseas Territories: Armed Forces

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British soldiers are stationed in British overseas territories.

Bob Ainsworth: There were 2,100 UK Regular Army personnel (230 officers and 1,860 other ranks) stationed in British overseas territories(1) as at 1 April 2007.
	(1 )Includes all UK Regular Army personnel stationed in Cyprus.

Challenger Tanks: Repairs and Maintenance

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the Answer of 6 March 2008,  Official Report, column 2807W, on Challenger tanks: repairs and maintenance, when the next order for full vehicle sets of track is due; when the order will be placed; how many full vehicle sets of track will be ordered; and what the cost will be.

Bob Ainsworth: We expect to place an order, for 48 full vehicle sets, in August 2008 for delivery at eight sets per month from February 2009. The total cost will be approximately 2.688 million.

Committee of Permanent Representatives

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 3 March 2008,  Official Report, column 2053W, on the Committee of Permanent Representatives, how many European security and defence policy matters were considered by the Committee of Permanent Representatives II in 2007.

Bob Ainsworth: The role of the Committee of Permanent Representatives II is to prepare the work of the Council of Ministers of the European Union. All issues considered by the Committee of Permanent Representatives II are covered in the Government's routine scrutiny and reporting arrangements in Parliament for European Union matters.
	The following agenda items relating to European Security and Defence Policy matters were considered by the Committee of Permanent Representatives II as I points (agreed without discussion) in 2007:
	
		
			   Agenda item 
			 31 January 2007 ATHENAReview 2006 
			  Force Catalogue 07 
			  Draft EU Training Programme in the field of ESDP 2007 to 2009 
			   
			 7 February 2007 Approval of the Crisis management concept concerning the future crisis management operation in Afghanistan 
			   
			 21 March 2007 Draft Council Joint Action amending Joint Action 2005/355/CFSP on the European Union mission to provide advice and assistance for security sector reform in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) 
			  Council Joint Action extending the mandate of the EU Team to contribute to the preparations of the establishment of a possible international Civilian Mission in Kosovo, including a European Union Special Representative component (ICM/EUSR Preparation Team) 
			   
			 3 April 2007 Draft European Union Exercise Programme 2008-12 
			   
			 18 April 2007 Council Decision implementing Joint Action 2005/557/CFSP on ;he European Union civilian military supporting action to the African Union mission in the Darfur region of Sudan 
			  Council Joint Action amending Joint Action 2005/557/CFSP on the European Union civilian military supporting action to the African Union mission in the Darfur region of Sudan with regard to the inclusion of a military support element providing assistance to the setting up of the African Union Mission in Somalia AMISOM) 
			  Approval of the Concept of Operations (CONOPS) for the ESDP Mission in Afghanistan 
			   
			 10 May 2007 Strengthening African Capabilities 
			  Action Proposals in view of the reinforcement of the partnership between Africa and the European Union in the area of African capabilities to prevent, manage and resolve conflicts 
			  Recommendations from PSC to Council 
			  Single Progress Report on the Development of EU Military capabilities 
			  Draft Concept of Operations (CONOPS) for the ESDP SSR Police Mission and its interface with justice in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) 
			  Draft revised general concept on continuation of the mission to provide advice and assistance for security sector reform in the Democratic Republic of Congo (EUSEC DR Congo) 
			  Analysis of Lessons from Operation EUFOR RD Congo 
			  Draft Council Joint Action amending and extending Joint Action 2006/304/CFSP on the establishment of an EU Planning Team EUPT Kosovo) regarding a possible EU crisis management operation in the field of Rule of Law and possible other areas in Kosovo 
			  Draft Joint Action on the establishment of the European Union Police Mission in Afghanistan (EUPOL AFGHANISTAN) 
			   
			 16 May 2007 Draft Council Joint Action amending and extending Joint Action 2005/889/CFSP on establishing a European Union border 
			  Assistance Mission for the Rafah Crossing Point (EU BAM Rafah) 
			   
			 23 May 2007 Political and Security Committee Decision EUPT/1/2007 extending the mandate of the Head of the EU Planning Team (EUPT Kosovo) regarding a possible EU crisis management operation in the field of rule of law and possible other areas in Kosovo 
			  Publication in the Official Journal 
			   
			 30 May 2007 Joint Action on the establishment of the European Union Police Mission in Afghanistan (EUPOL AFGHANISTAN) 
			   
			 6 June 2007 Operation Plan (OPLAN) for the EU Police Mission in Afghanistan (EUPOL AFGHANISTAN) 
			  Draft Joint Statement on UN-EU co-operation in Crisis Management 
			  Draft Council Joint Action on the European Union mission to provide advice and assistance for security sector reform in the Democratic Republic of Congo (EUSEC RD Congo) 
			  Joint Action on the establishment of the ESDP SSR Police Mission and its interface with justice in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) (EUPOL RD Congo) 
			   
			 14 June 2007 Operational Plan (OPLAN) for the Police Mission developed in the framework of ESDP on the security sector reform (SSR) and its interface with Justice in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) (EUPOL RD Congo) 
			  Draft Guidelines for Command and Control Structure for EU Civilian Operations in Crisis Management 
			  Secretary General/High Representative's European Union Police Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina Review Report 
			  Secretary General/High Representative's Fifth Operation ALTHEA Six Monthly Review Report 
			  Draft Presidency Report on ESDP 
			  Approval of draft Exercise Specifications (EXSPEC) for MILEX 08/CPX 
			   
			 27 June 2007 Operational Plan (OPLAN) for the Police Mission developed in the framework of ESDP on the security sector reform (SSR) and its interface with Justice in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) (EUPOL RD Congo) 
			  Draft Guidelines for Command and Control Structure for EU Civilian Operations in Crisis Management 
			  Secretary General/High Representative's European Union Police Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina Review Report 
			  Secretary General/High Representative's Fifth Operation ALTHEA Six Monthly Review Report 
			  Draft Presidency Report on ESDP 
			  Approval of draft Exercise Specifications (EXSPEC) for MILEX 08/CPX 
			   
			 12 July 2007 Council Joint Action extending and amending Joint Action 2006/623/CFSP on the establishment of a EU-team to contribute to the preparations of the establishment of a possible international civilian mission in Kosovo, including a European Union Special Representative component (ICM/EUSR Preparation Team) 
			  Draft Revised Implementing Plan (OPLAN) of EUSEC RD Congo mission to provide advice and assistance for security sector reform in the Democratic Republic of the Congo 
			   
			 19 July 2007 Draft Council Joint Action amending and extending Joint Action 2006/304/CFSP on the establishment of an EU Planning Team EUPT Kosovo) regarding a possible EU crisis management operation in the field of rule of law and possible other areas in Kosovo 
			  Council Decision on the financial rules of the European Defence Agency and on the procurement rules and rules on financial contributions from the operational budget of the European Defence Agency 
			  Adoption 
			   
			 12 September 2007 Draft Model Agreement on the status of the European Union Civilian Crisis Management Mission in a Host State (SOMA) 
			  Revised Draft Model Agreement on the status of the European Union-led forces between the European Union and a Host State 
			  Authorisation to open negotiations in accordance with Article 24 of the TEU in case of future EU military crisis management operations 
			   
			 19 September 2007 Council Decision concerning the conclusion of an Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Croatia on the participation of the Republic of Croatia in the European Union Police Mission in Afghanistan (EUPOL AFGHANISTAN) 
			   
			 27 September 2007 Council Decision concerning the conclusion of an Agreement between the European Union and New Zealand on the participation of New Zealand in the European Union Police Mission in Afghanistan (EUPOL AFGHANISTAN) 
			   
			 17 October 2007 Council Decision implementing Joint Action 2005/557/CFSP on the European Union civilian-military supporting action to the African Union missions in the Darfur region of Sudan and Somalia 
			  Draft Concept of Operations (CONOPS)for the follow-on Mission o the European Union Police Mission (EUPM) in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) 
			   
			 24 October 2007 Approval of the Exercise Specification for the EU Crisis Management Exercise 2008 (CME 08) 
			  Political and Security Committee Decision concerning the appointment of the Head of Mission of EUPOL AFGHANISTAN 
			  Political and Security Committee Decision BiH/10/2007 on the appointment of an EU Operation Commander for the European Union military operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina 
			  Political and Security Committee Decision BiH/11/2007 on the appointment of an EU Force Commander for the European Union military operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina 
			  Political and Security Committee Decision BiH/12/2007 on the appointment of the Head of the EU Command Element at Naples for the European Union military operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina 
			  Authorisation for publication in the Official Journal 
			   
			 7 November 2007 Council Joint Action of amending Joint Action 2004/570/CFSP on the European Union military operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina 
			  Political and Security Committee Decision concerning the extension of the mandate of the Head of Mission/Police Commissioner of the European Union Police Mission for the Palestinian Territories (EUPOL COPPS) 
			  Publication in the Official Journal 
			  Draft Council Joint Action amending Joint Action 2007/369/CFSP on the establishment of the European Union Police Mission in Afghanistan (EUPOL AFGHANISTAN) 
			   
			 15 November 2007 Progress Catalogue 2007 
			  Civilian Capabilities Improvement Conference 2007 
			  Draft Ministerial Declaration 
			  Draft Policy Paper on a Civilian ESDP Capability Planning Process 
			  Final Report on the Civilian Headline Goal 2008 
			  New Civilian Headline Goal 2010 
			  Council Joint Action on the European Union Police Mission (EUPM) in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) 
			  Preparation of the Council meeting (General Affairs and External Relations), on 19-20 November 2007 
			  Draft Conclusions of the Council and the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States within the Council on Security and Development 
			   
			 21 November 2007 Draft Council Joint Action amending and extending Joint Action 2005/190/CFSP on the European Union Integrated Rule of Law Mission for Iraq, EUJUST LEX 
			  Draft Council Joint Action amending and extending Joint Action 2006/304/CFSP on the establishment of an EU Planning Team (EUPT Kosovo) regarding a possible EU Crisis management operation in the field of rule of law and possible other areas in Kosovo 
			  Approval of the Concept of Operations (CONOPS) for EUPOL AFGHANISTAN 
			   
			 28 November 2007 Draft Council Joint Action amending Joint Action 2005/797/CFSP on the European Union Police Mission for the Palestinian Territories (EUPOL COPPS) 
			  Draft Council Joint Action amending Joint Action 2005/889/CFSP on establishing a European Union Border Assistance Mission for the Rafah Crossing Point (EU BAM Rafah) 
			  Council Decision 2007/..../CFSP amending Council Decision 2006/807/CFSP on the European Union Police Mission for the Palestinian Territories 
			  Council Decision implementing JA 2007/..../CFSP on the European Union Police Mission (EUPM) in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) 
			   
			 5 December 2007 Concept of Operations (CONOPS) for the European Union Police Mission for the Palestinian Territories (EUPOL COPPS) 
			  Concept of Operations (CONOPS) for the European Union Border Assistance Mission at the Rafah Crossing Point (EUBAM Rafah) 
			  Political and Security Committee Decision concerning the extension of the mandate of the Head of Mission/Police Commissioner of the European Union Police Mission (EUPM) in Bosnia and Herzegovina 
			  Request for a COREPER decision authorising publication in the Official Journal 
			  Single Progress Report on the Development of EU Military Capabilities 
			  Draft General Concept for potential ESDP action in support of Guinea Bissau Security Sector Reform 
			  Secretary General/High Representative's Report on the Sixth Operation ALTHEA Six monthly review 
			  Draft Presidency Report on ESDP 
			  Draft Council conclusions on the Operation ALTHEA 
			   
			 19 December 2007 Draft Council Joint Action amending Council Joint Action 2004/551/CFSP of 12 July 2004 on the establishment of the European Defence Agency 
			  Council Joint Action repealing Joint Action 2005/5 57/CFSP on the European Union civilian-military supporting action to the African Union mission in the Darfur region of Sudan 
			  Adoption 
			  Council Joint Action amending Joint Action 2007/405/CFSP on the European Union Police Mission undertaken in the framework of reform of the security sector (SSR) and its interface with the system of justice in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (EUPOL RD Congo) 
			  Political and Security Committee Decision EUPOL AFGH/2/2007 of 30 November 2007 on the establishment of the Committee of Contributors for the European Union Police Mission in Afghanistan (EUPOL AFGHANISTAN) 
			  Authorisation for publication 
			  Political and Security Committee Decision concerning the appointment of the Head of the European Union Planning Team (EUPT Kosovo) 
		
	
	The following agenda items relating to European Security and Defence Policy matters were considered by the Committee of Permanent Representatives II as II points (items scheduled for debate) in 2007:
	
		
			   Agenda item 
			 10 May 2007 European Defence AgencyReport by the Head of the Agency to the Council on the EDA's Activities 
			  ESDP 
			  Draft Council conclusions 
			   
			 3 October 2007 Draft Council Joint Action on the European Union military operation in the Republic of Chad and in the Central African Republic 
			   
			 11 October 2007 Chad/Central African Republic/Sudan 
			  Draft Council Joint Action on the European Union military operation in the Republic of Chad and in the Central African Republic 
			   
			 15 November 2007 ESDP 
			  Draft Council conclusions 
			   
			  SG/HR Report on the EUMS ability to conduct planning at the strategic level for EU-led operations 
			   
			  European Defence Agency 
			  Report by the Head of the Agency to the Council 
			  Council Guidelines for the EDA's work in 2008 Approval of guidelines for the Agency's agenda in 2008 
			  Three-year financial framework 2008-10 
			  2008 Budget 
		
	
	All items both I points and II points, are agreed by unanimity.

Commonwealth: Army

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many soldiers from other Commonwealth countries are serving in the British Army.

Bob Ainsworth: As at 1 January 2008 there were 5,940 trained regular personnel, of which 170 were officers and 5,770 were soldiers, with a Commonwealth nationality other than British Commonwealth recorded.
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 29 February 2008,  Official Report, column 2010W, to the hon. Member for North Devon (Nick Harvey) which gives a further breakdown by country of personnel with a Commonwealth nationality.

Defence Equipment

John MacDougall: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to ensure that the armed forces have the most up-to-date equipment; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: The MOD takes all measures possible to ensure that the equipment issued to the armed forces meets their requirements. The quality and versatility of the equipment issued to the armed forces is better than it has ever been and we are continually working to improve the range and reliability of all types of equipment.
	The Defence Technology Strategy published in 2006 and the Defence Technology Plan announced in November 2007 provide clear direction in bringing the benefits of advanced technology rapidly to the frontline.
	In addition the urgent operational requirement process continues to deliver new equipment with the speed and flexibility needed to adapt and respond to specific operational environments and emerging threats.

Eastern Europe: Armed Forces

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of whether the military forces of  (a) Albania,  (b) Croatia and  (c) Macedonia are capable of interoperability with those of other European states.

Bob Ainsworth: Albania, Croatia and Macedonia are each participating in a NATO membership action plan, a programme of advice, assistance and practical co-operation designed to help them in their preparations for potential membership and in their drive to meet NATO standards, including their ability to contribute to collective defence and participate in NATO missions. Their progress is assessed by the North Atlantic Council against Annual National Programmes under five chapters: political, economic, defence, resource, security and legal aspects. Decisions on their readiness for NATO membership will be made at the Bucharest Summit in April. Albania, Croatia and Macedonia are already operating alongside NATO nations and their partners, making a valuable contribution to ISAF in Afghanistan.

EU Defence Policy

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 3 March 2008,  Official Report, column 2053W, on EU defence policy, how many times votes took place under qualified majority voting in the European Defence Agency; and on what topics.

Des Browne: Three votes have taken place in the European Defence Agency (EDA) using Qualified Majority Voting. These were:
	an amendment to the Staff Regulations on parental and family leave; the deletion of Chapter III of the Draft Revised EDA Procurement Rules; and the insertion of a paragraph on conciliation in the Draft Revised EDA Procurement Rules.

Fair Trade Initiative

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will take steps to promote Fair Trade Fortnight 2008 amongst staff within his Department; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: Fair Trade Fortnight 2008 has been variously supported by food and drink outlets serving staff in MOD buildings. This support has included the use of Fair Trade Fortnight 2008 promotional materials and offering incentives to buy fair trade products, such as special offers and tasting events.

Future Surface Combatant

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what criteria have been decided for the design of the Future Surface Combatant; and when he will determine the number of ships which will be required for this programme.

Bob Ainsworth: holding answer 11 March 2008
	The Future Surface Combatant is at the early stages of concept design and the detailed criteria have yet to be defined. The number of ships required will be determined when the programme is more mature.

Iraq: Apache AH-64 Helicopter

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many new British Apache AH Mk1 helicopters were in service in  (a) Afghanistan and  (b) Iraq in each year since British forces were engaged in each of these countries.

Bob Ainsworth: I am withholding the information requested for Afghanistan as its release would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the armed forces. British Apache helicopters have never been in service in Iraq.

Iraq: Defence Equipment

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many coroners' reports have cited insufficient equipment as a factor in deaths of soldiers in  (a) Afghanistan and  (b) Iraq.

Des Browne: Of the 136 inquests that have been held into the deaths of soldiers who have died during the current operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, two narrative verdicts have been recorded following deaths in Iraq where equipment was raised as an issue by the coroner.

Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel have served in  (a) Iraq and  (b) Afghanistan since 2002; and how many have received a medal in recognition of that service.

Bob Ainsworth: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	There have been 112,875 campaign medals issued for service on Operation Telic and 49,078 campaign medals issued for service on Operations Veritas and Herrick, since operations began.

Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many VIPs his Department escorted in  (a) Iraq and  (b) Afghanistan in each of the last 12 months.

Bob Ainsworth: The following table below shows the number of VIP(1 )visits arranged under the auspices of the Ministry of Defence to Iraq and Afghanistan in each of the last twelve months for which information is available.
	(1) On visits to operational theatres, a VIP is defined as either a member of the senior civil service or Crown servant equivalent; a military officer at or above the rank of Commodore RN, Brigadier, or Air Commodore; a Member of the House of Commons or of the House of Lords who is not a Member of the Cabinet; or a civilian of a similar status to the preceding individuals. Members of the Royal Family and Members of the Cabinet, or equivalent, are classified as VVIPs.
	
		
			  Number of VIP visits 
			   Iraq  Afghanistan 
			 February 2007 10 10 
			 March 2007 10 8 
			 April 2007 11 6 
			 May 2007 3 12 
			 June 2007 13 10 
			 July 2007 9 11 
			 August 2007 5 12 
			 September 2007 12 5 
			 October 2007 13 0 
			 November 2007 4 13 
			 December 2007 7 9 
			 January 2008 9 11 
		
	
	This data relates to the number of visits involving VIPs rather than the actual number of VIP visitors: in some cases, any one particular visit may involve more than one VIP.
	This data relates solely to those VIP visits organised by the UK Ministry of Defence: UK units in these theatres also receive many VIP visitors from other nations, as well as UK VIPs whose trips are organised separately (including through the NATO system).

Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the security situation in  (a) Basra,  (b) Maysan,  (c) Dhi Qar and  (d) Al Muthanna provinces.

Bob Ainsworth: I have nothing to add to the answer my right hon. Friend, the Defence Secretary gave on 3 March 2008,  Official Report, column 1447 to the hon. Member for Harwich (Mr. Carswell).

Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the security situation in Basra City.

Bob Ainsworth: I have nothing to add to the answer I gave on 3 March 2008,  Official Report, column 1447, to the hon. Member for Harwich (Mr. Carswell).

Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the armed services stationed in Iraq were  (a) killed,  (b) seriously injured and  (c) slightly injured in Iraq in each year since 2003, broken down by (i) sex, (ii) age, (iii) regiment and (iv) service.

Bob Ainsworth: As at 25 February 2008, 173 UK service personnel have died while on deployment, or as a result of injuries sustained in Iraq. Of the 173 service personnel who have died, information for two soldiers have not been publicly released and thus their detailed information has been excluded from the following tables. This is consistent with the order of the coroner. In the event that this order changes, I will inform the House.
	Since the start of operations in 2003, six female UK service personnel have died while on deployment, or as a result of injuries sustained in Iraq.
	A breakdown of fatalities by age and by year is provided in the following table:
	
		
			  Table 1: Operational fatalities in Iraq: UK armed forces personnel, by age and calendar year, number, 2003-07 
			   All  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 All 173 52 22 23 29 47 
			 20 years 14 4 2 1 2 5 
			 20-24 50 10 8 5 6 21 
			 25-29 44 12 6 4 12 10 
			 30-34 34 15 6 5 4 4 
			 35-39 20 9 0 5 3 3 
			 40+ 9 2 0 3 2 2 
			 Not released 2 0 0 0 0 2 
		
	
	A breakdown of fatalities by corps/unit and by year is provided in the following table:
	
		
			  Table 2: Operational fatalities in Iraq: UK armed forces personnel, by corp( 1) /unit and calendar y ear,  number ,  2003-07 
			  Service  Corps/unit  All  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			  All 173 52 22 23 29 47 
			 
			 Naval Service(2) 1 Assault Group 2 2 0 0 0 0 
			  3 Commando Brigade 9 7 0 0 2 0 
			  847 Naval Air Squadron 2 0 0 0 2 0 
			  849 Naval Air Squadron 6 6 0 0 0 0 
			 
			 Army Army Air Corps 1 0 0 0 1 0 
			  Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers 5 1 3 0 0 1 
			  Corps of Royal Engineers 3 2 1 0 0 0 
			  Corps of Royal Military Police 12 9 1 1 0 1 
			  Duke of Lancaster's Regiment 9 1 0 0 2 6 
			  Foot Guards 8 2 1 2 0 3 
			  Household Cavalry 3 3 0 0 0 0 
			  Intelligence Corps 2 0 0 1 1 0 
			  Mercian Regiment 5 0 1 3 0 1 
			  Parachute Regiment 6 1 0 0 3 2 
			  Princess of Wales Royal Regiment 2 0 2 0 0 0 
			  Royal Anglian Regiment 2 0 0 0 2 0 
			  Royal Armoured Corps 14 3 0 1 5 5 
			  Royal Army Medical Corps 3 0 0 0 1 2 
			  Royal Corps of Signals 5 1 0 2 1 1 
			  Royal Logistic Corps 5 2 0 0 0 3 
			  Royal Regiment of Artillery 8 3 1 0 4 0 
			  Royal Regiment of Fusiliers 5 1 0 4 0 0 
			  Royal Regiment of Scotland 14 3 8 0 1 2 
			  The Rifles 13 0 2 0 2 9 
			  The Royal Welsh 5 1 1 0 0 3 
			  Yorkshire Regiment 1 0 0 0 0 1 
			 
			 RAF 1 Squadron RAF Regiment 3 0 0 0 0 3 
			  16 Squadron 1 1 0 0 0 0 
			  230 Squadron 1 0 0 0 0 1 
			  28 Army Co-operation Squadron 2 0 0 0 2 0 
			  33 Squadron 1 0 1 0 0 0 
			  47 Squadron 5 0 0 5 0 0 
			  504 Squadron Royal Auxiliary Air Force 1 0 0 0 0 1 
			  Engineering Wing, RAF Lyneham 3 0 0 3 0 0 
			  HQ STC Air Staff 1 0 0 1 0 0 
			  IX (B) Squadron 2 2 0 0 0 0 
			  RAF Police 1 1 0 0 0 0 
			 
			 Information not released  2 0 0 0 0 2 
			 (1) The breakdown for Army Corps is presented for the current Army structure (following the merger of many regiments over the last few years). (2) Naval Service includes Royal Navy and Royal Marines. 
		
	
	A breakdown of fatalities by service and by year is provided in the following table:
	
		
			  Table 3: Operational fatalities in Iraq: UK armed forces personnel, by service and calendar year, numbers, 2003-07 
			   All  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 All 173 52 22 23 29 47 
			 Naval Service(1) 19 15 0 0 4 0 
			 Army 131 33 21 14 23 40 
			 RAF 21 4 1 9 2 5 
			 Not released 2 0 0 0 0 2 
			 (1) Naval service includes Royal Navy and Royal Marines. 
		
	
	As at 31 December 2007, 212 UK Service personnel have been very seriously or seriously injured while on deployment in Iraq. Details which can be released without potential disclosure of individual identities include:
	Since the start of operations in 2003, six female UK service personnel have been very seriously or seriously injured while on deployment in Iraq.
	A breakdown of very seriously and seriously injured personnel by age and by year is provided in the following table:
	
		
			  Table 4: Operational very serious and seriously injured( 1)  personnel in Iraq: UK armed forces personnel, by age and calendar year, number, 2003-07 
			   All  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 All 212 46 45 20 32 69 
			 20 years 39 8 10 2 7 12 
			 20-24 71 14 17 10 12 18 
			 25-29 44 11 8 3 8 14 
			 30-34 26 7 5 2 3 9 
			 35-39 24 4 4 2 2 12 
			 40+ 8 2 1 1 0 4 
			 (1 )Excluding natural causes. 
		
	
	Information on the breakdown of very seriously and seriously injured by regiment (or other service equivalent) cannot be released without disclosing individual identities.
	A breakdown of very seriously and seriously injured personnel by service and by year is provided in the following table:
	
		
			  Table 5: Operational very serious and seriously injured( 1)  personnel in Iraq: UK armed forces personnel, by service and calendar year, nu mber , 2003-07 
			   All  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 All 212 46 45 20 32 69 
			 Naval Service(2) 6 2 0 0 3 1 
			 Army 189 40 42 19 28 60 
			 RAF 17 4 3 1 1 8 
			 (1) Excluding natural causes. (2) Naval service includes Royal Navy and Royal Marines. 
		
	
	Information on slight injuries is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 4 March 2008,  Official Report, column 2349W, on Iraq peacekeeping operations, what methodology was used to formulate his answer on 7 February 2006,  Official Report, column 1084, on Iraq; and why the information requested in the question on Iraq peacekeeping operations is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Bob Ainsworth: Exact figures on how many non-infantry personnel have served in an infantry role in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2003 are not held centrally as currently this information is not required for management purposes. The methodology used in the answer on 7 February 2006,  Official Report, column 1084W, took the average number of non-infantry sub-units serving in an infantry role per deployment and multiplied this by both the number of deployments and the strength of a typical sub unit; this enabled a rough estimate figure to be provided. Adopting the same approach produces figures of approximately 7,260 and 330 for Iraq and Afghanistan respectively since 2003.
	It is not unusual for non-infantry personnel to deploy in an infantry role as every soldier in the Army is trained in the infantry role first, and as a specialist second. When such individuals or units do deploy in an infantry role, they will also undertake similar pre-deployment training as their infantry counterparts.

Iraq and Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many soldiers from British  (a) Crown dependencies and  (b) overseas territories have served in (i) Iraq and (ii) Afghanistan since the campaigns began.

Bob Ainsworth: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Iraq and Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British soldiers have served in  (a) Iraq and  (b) Afghanistan since each campaign began.

Bob Ainsworth: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Iraq and Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much UK military operations in  (a) Iraq and  (b) Afghanistan (i) have cost to date and (ii) are expected to cost in each of the next three years.

Bob Ainsworth: Historic net additional costs of Operations Herrick (Afghanistan) and Telic (Iraq) which have been recovered from the Treasury Reserve are set out as follows. The figures include estimated costs for 2007-08.
	
		
			   million 
			   Herrick (from 2001-02)  Telic (from 2002-03) 
			 Audited figures up to financial year 2006-07 1,582 4,982 
			 Financial year 2007-08 (estimate) 1,649 1,648 
			 Total 3,231 6,630 
		
	
	Our initial indications for additional cost of operations in 2008-09 is at least 2 billion. This figure will be updated in both winter and spring supplementary estimates. The highly changeable nature of operations means that we are not able to provide accurate forecast costs for operations for either 2009-10 or 2010-11.

Military Equipment: Iraq

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his Answer of 21 January 2008,  Official Report, column 1601W, on military equipment: Iraq, on what dates the  (a) sets of body armour,  (b) AK47 assault rifles,  (c) underslung grenade launchers for AK47s and  (d) 9mm pistols were gifted to Iraqi forces in 2005.

Bob Ainsworth: Information on the specific dates of gifting for individual items of equipment is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Nuclear Weapons: Transport

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to ensure nuclear warhead convoys do not travel on motorways that do not have a hard shoulder reserved for emergencies.

Bob Ainsworth: Routes for nuclear weapon convoys are subject to a rigorous selection process. The safety and security of the convoy is carefully considered at all stages of this process and all routes are regularly re-assessed. It is MOD policy, however, not to comment on the routes used by nuclear convoys, as to do so would, or would be likely to, prejudice national security.

Radar: Wind Power

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the effects of wind farms on the UK's aerial defences.

Derek Twigg: We continually assess the UK's aerial defences to ensure that operational requirements are met.

Reserve Forces: Labour Turnover

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the  (a) inflow,  (b) outflow and  (c) voluntary outflow rates were for the (i) Territorial Army, (ii) Royal Naval Reserve, (iii) Royal Marines Reserve and (iv) Royal Auxiliary Air Force in the latest period for which figures are available.

Bob Ainsworth: It is not possible to provide Territorial Army rates or actual figures by outflow reason as the information is not captured in this way. The following table shows total intake and outflow for Territorial personnel during the period 1 January 2006 to 28 February 2007.
	
		
			  Inflow and outflow of the Territorial Army( 1)  by calendar year 
			  Calendar year  Inflow( 2)  Outflow( 3) 
			 2006 8,560 9,920 
			 2007 (1 January to 28 February)(4) 1,020 1,700 
			 (1) The data exclude Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS), Non-Regular Permanent Staff (NRPS) and Mobilised TA but includes the Officer Training Corps (OTC). (2) Inflow figures include all inflow e.g. intake from civil life and intake from other parts of the armed forces, but does not include the inflow of personnel returning from mobilisation. (3) Outflow figures exclude those personnel who became mobilised. (4) Due to ongoing data validation following the introduction of the new joint personnel administration (JPA) System, there is no TA information available since 1 March 2007.  Note:  Note: The data have been rounded to the nearest 10, numbers ending in 5 have been rounded to the nearest multiple of 20 to avoid systematic bias. 
		
	
	It is not possible to provide Royal Naval Reserve or Royal Marine Reserve rates or actual figures by outflow reason as this information is not captured in this way. The following table shows total intake and outflow for the Royal Naval Reserve and Royal Marines Reserve.
	
		
			  Inflow and outflow of the Royal Naval Reserve and Royal Marine Reserve, 1 April 2007 to 29 February 2008 
			   Inflow  Outflow 
			 Royal Marine Reserve 300 240 
			 Royal Naval Reserve 140 280 
			  Note: The data have been rounded to the nearest 10, numbers ending in 5 have been rounded to the nearest multiple of 20 to avoid systematic bias. 
		
	
	It is not possible to provide Royal Auxiliary Air Force rates or actual figures by outflow reason as the information is not captured in this way. The following table shows total attestations and discharges in the Royal Auxiliary Air Force for the period 1 April 2006 to 30 September 2007.
	
		
			  Inflow and outflow of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force( 1)  by financial year 
			  Financial year  Inflow( 2)  Outflow 
			 2006-07 320 280 
			 1 April 2007 to 30 September 170 150 
			 (1) The data include part-time volunteer reserves (PTVR) only. (2) Inflow figures include all inflow, e.g. intake from civil life and transfers from other units within the armed forces.  Note: The data have been rounded to the nearest 10, numbers ending in 5 have been rounded to the nearest multiple of 20 to avoid systematic bias.

Roger Buston

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence why an inquiry was conducted into the conduct of Lieutenant Colonel Roger Buston; what the length and cost of conducting the inquiry was; whether the inquiry reached conclusions; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: The inquiry followed a formal complaint lodged by the hon. Member for Colchester (Bob Russell), about the involvement of an Officer in the Territorial Army in local political activities. The inquiry took approximately 38 man-hours to complete at an estimated cost of 1,000. The recommendation of the inquiry was that there was no breach of Queen's Regulations and that no action should be taken against any individual.

Treaty of Lisbon: Defence

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Lisbon Treaty gives the new EU High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs powers to propose military operations.

Bob Ainsworth: We expect that if the Lisbon treaty is ratified by all EU member states, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy will be able to make proposals, including proposing military operations. But any proposals made will be made to the Council of the European Union who will make any decisions and will do so only by unanimity.

Trident Missiles

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of progress in refurbishing the W76 warheads for Trident missiles, with particular reference to manufacturing processes for Fogbank; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: The UK does not assemble or refurbish W76 nuclear warheads. It is MOD policy not to comment on nuclear warhead design, as to do so would, or would be likely to, prejudice national security.

Type 23 Frigate

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the outturn cost was of each Type 23 frigate in  (a) cash and  (b) constant 2007 prices; and who the manufacturer was of each.

Bob Ainsworth: The following table shows the original hull costs of each Type 23 frigate and those same values estimated at 2007 prices. Other costs, such as those for Government furnished equipment, are not held centrally for each ship and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The table also shows the hull manufacturer for each of the Type 23 frigates and
	the date each ship was commissioned.
	
		
			  Ship  Original Hull cost ( m)  2007 Price (estimated) ( m)  Manufacturer  Commissioned date 
			 HMS Argyll 118.95 175.70 Yarrow Shipbuilder Ltd 1991 
			 HMS Lancaster 119.71 170.82 Yarrow Shipbuilder Ltd 1992 
			 HMS Iron Duke 109.77 151.10 Yarrow Shipbuilder Ltd 1993 
			 HMS Monmouth 111.66 153.70 Yarrow Shipbuilder Ltd 1993 
			 HMS Montrose 117.29 157.55 Yarrow Shipbuilder Ltd 1994 
			 HMS Westminster 112.68 151.35 Swan Hunter 1994 
			 HMS Northumberland 114.73 154.10 Swan Hunter 1994 
			 HMS Somerset 114.14 143.71 Yarrow Shipbuilder Ltd 1996 
			 HMS Richmond 116.20 150.25 Swan Hunter 1995 
			 HMS Portland 92.06 109.01 Marconi Marine 2001 
			 HMS Sutherland 143.58 175.81 Harrow Shipbuilder Ltd 1997 
			 HMS St Albans 106.82 124.99 BAE Systems 2002 
			 HMS Kent 108.42 128.26 Yarrow Shipbuilder Ltd 2000 
			 HMS Norfolk 112.03 174.41 Yarrow Shipbuilder Ltd 1990 
			 HMS Grafton 115.56 141.50 Yarrow Shipbuilder Ltd 1997 
			 HMS Marlborough 118.43 174.93 Swan Hunter 1991

Warships

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether it remains his policy to retain for the long-term a fleet of 25 destroyers and frigates.

Bob Ainsworth: holding answer 11 March 2008
	While the Defence programme is regularly reviewed and updated, we currently plan to retain a fleet of 25 destroyers and frigates. The number of ships in service at any given time will vary as the older Type 42 destroyers are replaced by the more capable Type 45s.

Warships: Sales

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which  (a) Royal Navy and  (b) Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships have been sold to foreign Governments since 2004; and what the sale price was in each case.

Bob Ainsworth: The following list contains all Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships sold on a Government-to-Government basis:
	
		
			  Date of the contract of sale  Sold to  Price ( million) 
			 Financial year 2004-05 None  
			
			 Financial year 2005-06 Chile 134 
			 HMS Norfolk   
			 HMS Grafton   
			 HMS Marlborough   
			
			 Financial year 2006-07 Estonia 32 
			 HMS Sandown   
			 HMS Inverness   
			 HMS Bridport   
			
			 Financial year 2007-08 Brazil 5.2 
			 RFA Sir Galahad   
		
	
	The above sale price figures represent the total revenue for the MOD and industry together. For those vessels sold on a Government-to-Government basis there is usually an agreement with industry for regeneration and modernisation work.